To celebrate the recent International Women’s Day, Meet Health Events is shining the spotlight on women from across the healthcare and health tech sector. This week, we sat down with Dr Ola Spencer of Optegra.

In the fast-evolving landscape of health tech, strong and visionary leadership is essential. At the forefront of this transformation are women such as Dr Aleksandra “Ola” Spencer, Global Chief Operating Officer at Optegra—a specialist ophthalmic provider and centre of excellence in eye care. With a career spanning over two decades across healthcare, life sciences, and health technology, Dr Spencer’s insights offer a powerful perspective on what it means to be a woman in leadership in the UK health tech industry today.

From Paediatric Oncology to AI-Driven Innovation

Dr Spencer’s journey into healthcare was driven by a deep passion for innovation and patient care. “At the moment, I'm COO for Optegra, very much focused on driving operational excellence, innovation, and value creation across all our markets,” she explains. But her path began early on in healthcare, followed by a PhD in paediatric oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital.”

Her transition into the technology space came through her years at IBM, where she spearheaded initiatives across healthcare and life sciences, working with Fortune 500 companies. “One of the most prominent projects was building the first smart hospital in the world, in Abu Dhabi in 2015 with Cleveland Clinic,” she recalls. “I also helped set up Watson AI (IBM’s AI Portfolio) capabilities across Europe. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve always believed in a digital-first approach, using things like AI to improve patient care,streamline patient pathways and fostering innovation in the healthcare industry”

Leadership Inspired by Consumer-Centric Thinking

Asked about mentors who inspired her, Dr Spencer highlights her time working with Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo. “She’s renowned for her strategic vision and customer-centric leadership. Working with her during my IBM years taught me a lot about aligning services to the consumer, and that’s something I’ve brought into healthcare—running a highly efficient, patient-centred business.”

This perspective has become a cornerstone of Dr Spencer’s leadership philosophy: “We can’t treat healthcare as just a service—we have to view the patient as a consumer, and build systems that revolve around their needs.”

The Value of Diverse Leadership

One of the most significant positive shifts Dr Spencer has observed is the increasing visibility of women in leadership. “I’ve witnessed first-hand the impact of diverse leadership teams in driving innovation and improving decision-making. It’s not just about fairness—diversity is a strategic advantage,” she says.

“Research consistently shows that businesses with gender-diverse leadership outperform their peers in profitability, creativity, and resilience. But this shift requires more than just policies—it demands active sponsorship, equal opportunities, and a workplace culture where women’s voices are heard and valued.”

The Barriers Still Standing

Despite this progress, Dr Spencer is clear-eyed about the challenges that remain. “There’s still unconscious bias and outdated stereotypes. Women are often held to higher standards and expected to prove themselves more than their male counterparts,” she says.

One of the structural barriers she identifies is unequal access to leadership pipelines. “While entry-level diversity is improving, progression into executive roles is still uneven. Women are less likely to hold P&L ownership roles, which are critical stepping stones to the C-suite.”

Work-life balance remains a challenge, too. “Many workplaces don’t fully support flexible leadership paths, making it harder for women to progress,” she notes. “And while more women are joining boards, non-executive and chairman positions are still dominated by men.”

Her solution? “We need better mentorship programmes, active sponsorship, and flexible leadership structures—fractional leadership roles, hybrid models. And we need to break industry silos. Healthcare has made good progress, but in other sectors, women in leadership are still underrepresented.”

She also advocates for a more analytical approach to equity. “We need data-driven gender equity strategies that go beyond diversity quotas and focus on real inclusion.”

Advice for the Next Generation

For women just beginning their journey in health and health tech, Dr Spencer offers powerful, pragmatic advice:

“First, understand your goals. What do you want to achieve? Own your expertise and speak with authority. Women often underestimate their knowledge, but we must position ourselves as subject matter experts and speak up in high-stakes meetings.”

She urges women to get comfortable with risk and learn the commercial side of the business. “Many women have deep technical expertise, but fewer are exposed to venture capital, business models, or scaling innovation. Learn what you can about the health tech funding landscape and regulatory environment.”

And above all: take the leap. “Don’t fear failure. Too often, we hold ourselves back. Believe in yourself, even if you have other demands in life. You are capable. Break into high-impact leadership roles.”

Finally, she underscores the importance of community: “Build strong networks. Collaborate across disciplines. Attend conferences. And never stop advocating for diverse, inclusive leadership.”

In an industry being transformed by technology and redefined by new models of care, leaders like Dr Spencer are not just helping to shape the future of health tech—they are paving the way for the next generation of women to lead with clarity and innovation.