Steve Dechan Case Study
Press We Have Acquired for Steve Dechan
Steve Dechan’s interview on TechRound
Steve Dechan’s comment on MediCompare
About Steve Dechan
Steve Dechan was born and raised a true Scotsman, originally from Glasgow. Early career endeavours from a young age saw Steve learn the core and fundamental values of customer service and retail through hard work. This later translated towards work in sales, insurance and consequently commercial banking. Steve now resides in central Stroud in Gloucestershire where he lives with his wife and children.
Steve’s first ventures towards pioneering his own business involved the establishment of the UK’s second largest student and travel insurer, later sold once it had grown reputably.
Following a well-needed break from business, Steve then rose to the challenge of venturing into the medical world, starting with investing in a star-up urology business. This served as his first exposure to medical devices, and offered him the opportunity to develop skills and expertise across the board of distribution, IP deals, as well as working as a medical rep. This venture into the medical world additionally offered Steve a rare opportunity to gain first-hand insight and understanding into clinical settings and the relationships involving patients, clinicians and the industry as a whole.
Following this venture, Steve Dechan then pursued a career in specialising in medical devices. This involved work within several companies, with products ranging in the vascular and radiology vicinity across international settings and communications. During this time, Steve picked up a particular passion for the distribution of medical devices, and sought to understand further how this industry was run in the UK, and in what ways it could be improved, in particular, interventional cardiology, urology and radiology.
2012 saw Steve’s ground work start to pay off with a pivotal moment where Steve was able to found his own medical distribution business, called Platform14.
Once Platform 14’s first deal had been secured, Steve worked hard to expand the company’s remit, drawing a specific focus and attention to the distribution of pain management technologies and devices.
Just 8 years later in 2020, Steve’s company acquired a significant share in BioWave USA, the founders of BioWave, a new pain management device which is currently under application for a CE mark. This acquisition exemplified Steve’s true passion to be involved in the improvement of the lives of those suffering in pain, a passion that carries through today. It is this very passion to help manage pain that makes Steve optimistic and look forward to the future changes and developments in pain management in the years to come.
2020 was a pivotal year in also seeing Steve and Platform14 step up on a national level to assist the NHS during the COVID-19 crisis. Platform14’s response to the pandemic saw Steve bring together his specialist experience in distribution to secure the delivery of millions of PPE face shields and gowns to be used by those working hard on the frontline, including in hospitals as well as vaccination centres to this very day.
Steve Dechan as a Local Councillor for Stroud
Outside of Steve’s business ventures, he has also served time as a local councillor in Stroud for between 2017-2020, advocating for assistance and guidance for commerce and businesses in the local area. During this time, Steve, together with support from the UK and West Chambers, further worked towards establishing the district’s first ever Chamber of Commerce, a pivotal moment for businesses. This was just a fraction of his work as Chairman of the Stroud Business Voice Group.
Additionally, outside of work, commerce and politics, Steve has volunteered for Stroud Rugby. During this time, he worked to raise funds to improve the rugby club’s new facilities through both sponsorship and commercial work. Steve has further spent six years holding position of Special Constable in the Devon and Cornwall Police Force, assisting on behalf of the local community’s development and livelihood.
Steve’s experience serves as a hybrid of business, commerce and pain management, and perfectly exemplifies his commitment in leading Platform14 towards becoming the world leader and communicator in pain management and the distribution of medical devices.