Nele Wuytens: Healthcare Innovation Manager
The 48-year-old Nele Wuytens works as a Healthcare Innovation Manager at Axians. In this role, she supports hospitals and healthcare organizations with their innovation challenges and connects them with technological solutions that improve care processes and make them smarter and more efficient.
“Fear is the worst advisor: above all, stay true to yourself and trust your own strength.”
- Name: Nele Wuytens
- Age: 48
- Studies: Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (Hogeschool UCLL, Campus Hasselt) and Bachelor’s degree in Advanced Business Management (Hogeschool UCLL, Campus Leuven)
- Function: Healthcare Innovation Manager
- Hobbies: Scuba diving, skiing and working out with her family, as well as serving as a jury member for graduating students in the Junior Consultancy Program at UCLL University College
How does your background as a nurse help you in your job today?
Nele: I chose nursing back then because, in my parents’ generation, it was seen as a logical choice for a girl. Personally, I quickly realized that my interests were broader and that I also wanted to move toward business and innovation. Yet that background is precisely what gives me my insight today: I know how high the workload is in hospitals and how quickly technology can become an additional burden if it is not well aligned with day-to-day practice. After starting out as a nurse, I quickly moved into the industrial sector and management roles, including at a software company for critical care services. That combination of hands-on healthcare knowledge and business experience means I can now easily navigate between healthcare providers, IT managers, executives, and innovation partners.
Why is VINCI Energies such a good fit for who you are and your way of working?
Nele: What appeals to me about VINCI Energies is that here I can truly start from the customer’s needs: what challenges is a hospital facing today, and what expertise can best address them? That way of working suits me very well. I listen first, identify the needs, and then determine which solutions or combinations of expertise are relevant. Because the business units have a lot of autonomy, there is also room to take an entrepreneurial approach and truly think along with the customer. At the same time, within VINCI Energies, I can rely on a broad group of experts, even across teams. It is precisely that freedom — not having to work in a top-down way, but being able to help build and innovate independently — that makes me feel truly at home here.
Women in the technology sector often still have to prove themselves more than others. What would you say to women who feel held back by that barrier?
Nele: My most important advice is simple: fear is the worst advisor. If you feel that a technical field or a role in innovation suits you, then dare to take that opportunity. Women sometimes feel more pressure to prove themselves, especially in environments where they are still in the minority. I have felt that way too, but for me it was actually motivating: it gave me the energy to show what I was capable of. What I appreciate about VINCI Energies is that there is a lot of trust and flexibility. It is a results-driven environment where you are given the freedom to do your job your way. At the same time, I also notice that topics like diversity and women’s leadership are being given real attention, which is essential. In general, it is also important for organizations to be able to communicate openly about balancing career and family or other stages in women’s lives, such as menopause. It’s precisely that willingness to engage in dialogue about these issues that makes a difference. For women who are unsure, my message is: above all, stay true to yourself. You do not have to play a role or adapt to fit in. Talk to other women in the sector, trust your own strength and dare to take that step.
