Keren Leshem | Board Director and CEO | OCON Healthcare
Keren Leshem, a Board Director and the CEO of OCON Healthcare, is a pioneering company in the women’s health arena. The company has developed a unique 3D platform to deliver drugs to the uterus in an innovative, safe, painless, and more anatomically fitting way. OCON Healthcare’s main mission is to move away from harmful oral formulations that have an array of undesirable side effects and/or the need to undergo debilitating hospital procedures due to various conditions and pathologies women suffer from.
The company has been around for ten years, with a recent restart where they completely turned the company around, mainly in terms of strategy, to focus on uterine pathologies and therapies for women suffering from very prevalent and debilitating diseases. OCON Healthcare is headquartered in Israel and has operations in Europe.
The company’s motto, tagline, and mission statement are to increase awareness of women’s healthcare by introducing new paradigms of treatment that fit women’s anatomy – better and safer treatments for a higher quality of life, becoming the new standard of care.
OCON Healthcare aims to reduce the use of harmful oral medications that can cause numerous undesirable side effects and eliminate the need for women to undergo debilitating hospital procedures as a result of various conditions and pathologies.
OCON Healthcare offers several products that are designed to help women with various conditions, such as abnormal/heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and menopause. These products include IUB Ballerine®, a non-hormonal, long-term, reversible contraception; IUB SEADTM, a once-and-done office treatment for women that suffer from abnormal/heavy menstrual bleeding; IUB PRIMATM, a long-term medicinal treatment for women suffering from AUB/HMB; IUB ADIRATM, a long-term treatment for fibroids affecting 70% of women; and IUB STELLATM, a long-term treatment for endometriosis affecting 10% of women.
OCON Healthcare’s unique therapeutic platform addresses more than $35 billion markets, such as abnormal/heavy bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, menopause, and more. Their goal is to introduce products that take the specific female anatomy into account, created for women, and by women.
Women are disproportionately more often burdened by chronic conditions, such as abnormal/heavy uterine bleeding, endometriosis, and Myomas/Fibroids. Heavy menstrual bleeding is a global problem that affects one third of women globally according to the ACOG. Current treatments are either oral and cause systemic side effects or invasive hospital procedures that are costly, require capital equipment, skilled staff, and anesthesia with 25% leading to the full removal of the uterus. Current outdated technologies impact the health economics of entire societies, marital qualities of partnerships, family planning, and productivity in the workforce. OCON is here to change that!
OCON aims to revolutionize the healthcare industry by introducing advanced technologies that have a positive impact on the overall health and wellbeing of societies. By doing so, OCON hopes to improve marital relationships, enable effective family planning, and increase productivity in the workforce
OCON Healthcare’s solution comes with significantly fewer side effects, is safe and effective, and the technology has been validated in over 120,000 women and over 6,000 doctors globally. The patented platform of products is targeting the same provider, utilizes the same technique with different APIs for different indications such as abnormal and heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.
Keren’s journey within OCON Healthcare started almost by accident, as she had a 15-year history of working in the Ophthalmology space in various roles. It was a few months before COVID hit, and Keren was contemplating a job overseas or one locally and thankfully decided to join OCON healthcare! She initially started as the company’s VP Sales & BD and very quickly was approached by the board to see if she was willing to take over with a new strategy and a new recap. Since then, the company has won a ton of technology prizes and is on the way to build a unicorn in women’s health. Keren is so grateful for her team and board for supporting their mission
Keren’s entry into OCON Healthcare was serendipitous, as she had been working in different positions in the field of Ophthalmology for 15 years prior to joining the company.
Overall, Keren and her team at OCON are dedicated to creating innovative and patient-centric solutions for women’s health issues. As a women-led company, they prioritize creating a supportive and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and have equal opportunities for growth and development.
One of their key business highlights includes being recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer, which highlights the importance of women’s health and the impact that OCON is making in the field. Moving forward, Keren sees the future of the women’s health industry being marked by patient empowerment, innovation, and increasing funding driven by advances in technology and research. To stay ahead of the competition, Keren and her team focus on providing education and resources to help women make informed health decisions, as well as developing products and services that address women’s unique needs and preferences. OCON also prioritizes indications with a massive unmet need and tries to fill this gap with innovative solutions specifically designed for the female anatomy.
At the heart of Keren’s approach to creating an inclusive workplace is prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This includes creating a culture of respect, providing equal opportunities for all employees, and implementing practices that support diversity and inclusion. OCON also provides ongoing training and development opportunities to help their team grow and reach their full potential.
Keren is proud of her team at OCON and is dedicated to creating a supportive community of women both within and outside of her company. She believes that by highlighting the achievements and success stories of women in science and healthcare, and by providing access to resources such as funding, training, and professional development opportunities, we can support the careers of women and promote gender equality in the field.
Keren prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion to create an inclusive workplace by promoting a culture of respect, equal opportunities, and inclusive practices.
Keren’s leadership principles are rooted in authenticity, relationship-building, resilience, risk-taking, diversity and inclusivity, empathy, and adaptability. By staying true to herself and her values, Keren establishes trust and credibility with her team and stakeholders. She prioritizes building strong relationships and shows empathy in her interactions, fostering loyalty and trust. In addition, Keren understands the importance of being resilient in the face of challenges and setbacks. She sees failures and mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as reasons to give up. This mindset has allowed her to bounce back stronger and continue moving forward.
Keren is not afraid to take calculated risks and make informed decisions based on data and analysis. She recognizes that innovation and growth require bold steps and is willing to take them. Moreover, she fosters a culture of diversity and inclusivity, valuing and respecting everyone’s unique perspectives and backgrounds. Keren leads with empathy, creating a positive work environment that supports employee engagement and productivity. She prioritizes employee well-being and work-life balance, recognizing that happy and fulfilled employees are essential for the success of the team and the company. Finally, Keren’s adaptability and flexibility enable her to pivot quickly in response to market and industry trends, ensuring that her company remains competitive and relevant.
Keren’s leadership is based on being authentic, building relationships, being resilient, taking risks, prioritizing diversity and inclusivity, showing empathy, and being adaptable.
As CEO, Keren networks all day to seize opportunities, communicates with potential investors and focuses on strategic planning. To unplug from work, Keren enjoys using LinkedIn for news and resources, watching comedy and spending quality time with family and spouse.
As a female CEO in the women’s health industry, Keren offers valuable advice for other ambitious women. To advance your career, it’s important to gain expertise in the industry and build a strong network of colleagues and mentors. Being a problem-solver and advocating for yourself can also help make an impact in the industry. Seeking out mentors who have experience and knowledge in areas you want to develop can also provide valuable guidance and support. Additionally, attending industry events, joining professional associations, and participating in online groups and forums can offer opportunities for growth and advancement.
