TekCyte’s patent-protected drug-free surface coating offers ground-breaking results in both medical and industrial applications. BIOINVISIBLE™ was developed in South Australia and is designed to reduce infections and blood clots on medical devices. The breakthrough innovation has already gained major global attention as it physically resists bacterial build-up and clotting, having the potential to save millions of lives and drastically reduce the burden and cost on healthcare and society.

TekCyte announced the rare co-CEO move this week, positioning itself alongside a small but growing group of global companies – including Netflix[1], Salesforce[2], and Marks & Spencer[3] – that have adopted dual leadership to accelerate growth and sharpen focus. Closer to home, major Australian tech company Atlassian made leadership waves with its co-CEO strategy, which helped fuel the firm’s colossal climb to global success[4].

Having worked alongside TekCyte in a consultancy capacity since 2021, James has played a key role in shaping the company’s investor strategy, commercial partnerships, and market positioning. Beyond TekCyte, she has helped science and technology businesses across Australia and internationally turn growth ambitions into commercial reality.

Simula, who was key to the creation of TekCyte starting in 2018, brings decades of biomedical science and research experience.  Under his watch, TekCyte has transformed from a research cooperative as part of the University of South Australia’s Cell Therapy Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre into a commercial organisation with real-world potential across global markets.

As co-CEOs, the dynamic duo bring deep technical knowledge and commercial firepower in a move that will turbocharge TekCyte’s next chapter, said James.

“Co-CEOs work when there’s trust, respect, and a shared vision. And Tony and I have been building that for years.”

“To have this opportunity at such a pivotal time for TekCyte is incredibly exciting. We’re stepping into bigger markets, bigger opportunities, and bigger challenges. And by having two leaders at the top it gives us the focus, agility, and skills to meet all those challenges head-on and make a real impact on the world stage.”

Simula said the combination of breakthrough technology, the right team, and now the leadership to turn big ambitions into real-world impact would not just prove the power of having a dynamic duo at the helm, but also set TekCyte up for long-term success.

“This is the right leadership move at exactly the right time,” Simula said.

“It’s not about splitting a job but about expanding the leadership bandwidth so TekCyte can move faster, think bigger, and deliver stronger outcomes for our partners, our investors, and ultimately, the patients and industries we serve.

“With two leaders driving both the science and the commercial strategy, we’re better positioned than ever to seize the opportunities ahead and take TekCyte to the next level.”

James will continue to lead Small and Mighty Group, supported by a senior leadership team handling day-to-day operations to ensure her commercial expertise is amplified, not stretched, across both ventures.

Looking ahead, TekCyte is focused on expanding the reach of BIOINVISIBLE™ across both medical and industrial markets, accelerating innovation, and locking in new global partnerships.

Sources:

[1] https://about.netflix.com/en/news/ted-sarandos-greg-peters-co-ceos-netflix

[2] https://www.historyoasis.com/post/salesforce-ceo-history#:~:text=BRET%20TAYLOR%20%26%20MARC%20BENIOFF%20(CO%2DCEOS)&text=In%202021%2C%20with%20Salesforce%20firmly,CEO%20successor%20and%20Vice%20Chair.

[3] https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/planned-leadership-evolution-ms

[4] https://www.forbes.com.au/news/leadership/it-works-at-atlassian-but-would-co-ceos-be-best-for-every-company/