People

valda smits

Get Connected

I have spent much of my 30-year career at senior board level in SME’s as shareholder, director, CEO for joint ventures and as honorary board member in public sector environments. My original background in design and on-site building project management has informed the way I tackle problems and take on challenges.
For sixteen years I headed up one of the largest suppliers of public sector research in England, and during that time I was also responsible for the commercialisation and delivery of an App for children and young people into the NHS. My three year’s part based at Alder Hey Children’s hospital to co-design and develop this product, helped shape the way I now work alongside my customers and partners. The unique opportunities I gained through this experience, including negotiating, and contracting to become formal partner /supplier to some of the largest companies on the planet from BT Health and BT Global, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Motion Computing, Toshiba, and the NHS have been invaluable when assisting others.
More recently I have found myself working alongside SME and third sector organisations where I regularly advise on elements as diverse as the challenges and rewards of engaging staff and stakeholders to drive a company or product development forward (I often work alongside UK Sport with Team GB elite athletes and staff on “winning habit” and “winning team” engagement programmes), through to how to effectively navigate a business through the grant funding maze, and target and secure the most effective pots of money, expertise and support.