Stephen Blatchford

Independent Director

Stephen joined the family business in 1985 after studying at Oxford University, where he obtained a BA in Mathematics and an MSc in Computation. He became the CEO in January 1986 after his father’s death. Since then, Stephen has overseen the Company’s growth from £6m to over £70m turnover by providing innovative products and services for amputees and by entering the broader rehabilitation market. International exports began in 1988 and now account for over 75% of product sales. The service business has also grown substantially and since 2006 includes the prosthetic service at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court for injured servicemen. In 2014 Stephen spearheaded the team that acquired a majority interest in five Norwegian businesses as part of a new international business expansion plan. In April 2015, Stephen moved into the more strategic role of Executive Chairman.

Stephen has been the Chairman of British Healthcare Trades Association, a non-executive board member of the National Centre for Training and Education in Prosthetics and Orthotics and was an industry champion for the Government’s “Make It In Great Britain” campaign in 2012. Stephen won the IOD Family Director of the Year Category in the Director of the Year Awards for 2013. He is married and has two children.