We are delighted to welcome Lee Balfour as the newest member of the 2iC-Care team, joining as Regional Director for the North. With over 20 years of sales, operational, and commercial experience across global organisations, Lee brings valuable industry insight that perfectly complements 2iC-Care's mission to transform care delivery through Andi, our innovative digital dispersed alarm unit and software solution.
A Journey Through Technology and Care
Lee's extensive career path has uniquely positioned him to understand the care technology landscape from multiple perspectives. His professional experiences have given him insight into both the development and implementation sides of technology solutions in care settings, making him an ideal advocate for Andi's capabilities.
Lee's professional trajectory took an important turn in 2020 when he moved into the technology sector with Samsung, working primarily in the care industry, selling hardware and Saas-based products. His experience expanded at another technology enabled care supplier, where he continued working across health, housing, and social care sectors, selling technology solutions to assisted living complexes, housing associations, and local authorities.
Seeing Both Sides of the Procurement Process
Most recently, Lee gained valuable perspective from the procurement side, working as a contractor for a procurement business and framework. This diverse experience has given him a comprehensive understanding of technology in care settings.
The Path to 2iC-Care
"I've known of 2iC-Care since 2022," Lee explains. "I had sat on panels with Richard [Keyes, CEO] and heard him speak about Andi. It became apparent that the Andi solution was ahead of its time, giving the best of both worlds from an analogue to digital perspective and then moving across into a proactive preventative solution, which is where I believe the industry needs to go."
Like many of our team members at 2iC-Care, Lee's commitment to improving care technology isn't merely professional - it's deeply personal. His firsthand experience with family caregiving has informed his understanding of how technology can alleviate the burdens faced by families supporting loved ones with long-term health conditions.
The Personal Connection
Lee's passion for improving care outcomes is rooted in personal experience. He recalls the challenges his family faced during his grandmother's battle with throat cancer and COPD.
"Her health deteriorated over a long time, about five years. That was primarily my mum and her two sisters going in to see her pretty much every day, which obviously put a great strain on them when they were working as well," Lee shares.
As his grandmother's condition worsened, the family care responsibilities increased significantly. "In the end, my mum was sleeping there at my nan's for three nights a week, and my aunties would do another two nights. So between the three of them, they'd almost be living carers all week, and then a professional carer would come in during the day."
Lee reflects on how technology could have made a difference: "If they'd had technology, she could have alerted people they could have had insight into how she was, whether that be temperature, well-being, or whether she's actually moved. Having technology could have assisted with that instead of dipping in and out constantly and consistently over a five-year period."
Addressing Industry Challenges with Andi
In his new role at 2iC-Care, Lee is particularly focused on addressing the significant challenges he sees in the technology enabled care sector. Drawing on his experience across different aspects of the industry, he has a clear vision for how Andi can lead transformation in care delivery models.
The Knowledge Gap
When asked about the biggest challenges facing technology enabled care today, Lee immediately points to education and knowledge gaps.
"Having been to ITEC in 2025, it was apparent that there are still Commissioners and senior members of local authorities and housing associations walking around saying all the solutions are one and the same, which is really worrying," he notes.
Moving from Talk to Action
Lee also observes that many organisations have reacted too late to the digital transition. "I think there's going to end up being a little bit of a backlog in terms of procuring technology for the good of individuals, but primarily I believe it to be an education and knowledge piece around the industry."
Part of his mission at 2iC-Care is to help address this gap: "Whatever we can do as a business, or I can do, to help educate, guide, and support people in transitioning across to better technology to achieve those outcomes – that has to be a major point."
The Power of Proactive and Preventative Care
For Lee, the most innovative and impactful aspect of Andi is its proactive and preventative capabilities. "I think it's what it enables organisations to achieve from a care outcomes perspective. I think it's what the industry needs."
He highlights a common industry problem: "Everybody talks about data, but nobody does anything about it. Everybody talks about proactive and preventative, but very few people can do it and achieve it."
Lee sees Andi's capabilities as a game-changer: "With the data insights and the exception reporting that Andi can provide, along with proactive and preventative ongoing care and reablement – that's a huge step forward for the industry."
Beyond the Office: Getting to Know Lee
When not championing technology enabled care solutions, Lee leads a full and active life that reflects his enthusiastic and energetic approach to his professional role. His outside interests provide balance and perspective to his work in the demanding health and social care sector.
A Culture of Collaboration
In his short time with 2iC-Care, Lee has been struck by the collaborative nature of the team. "I think the team are very open, and it's a very warm and collaborative team. There's a lot of willingness to help one another."
He appreciates the all-hands-on-deck approach: "There's a lot of willingness to jump in and out of everything. From a team collaboration piece, 2iC-Care has got it absolutely spot on. It's a very warm company from my initial thoughts, and they are just trying to achieve great things for the industry."
Cycling Challenges and Sporting Passions
When he's not working to transform care technology, Lee enjoys an active lifestyle focused on fitness and socialising. He's an avid cyclist who has tackled some impressive challenges, including a gruelling 200-mile round trip from his home in Shropshire to the Welsh coast in a single day, complete with 12,000 feet of climbing.
"We just kind of challenge ourselves with silly things like that now and again," he says with a laugh.
A sports enthusiast, Lee supports Liverpool FC and enjoys international rugby, often attending matches at Twickenham. When not cycling or at sporting events, he spends time with his three-legged cat, Arnold, his wife and his circle of friends.
With his extensive industry expertise, personal understanding of care challenges, and passion for preventative technology, Lee Balfour is a valuable addition to the 2iC-Care family. We are excited to have him leading our business development efforts in the North as we continue to pioneer the future of connected preventative care through Andi.
Organisations interested in learning more about leveraging digital transformation to enhance care services are encouraged to reach out to Lee and the team directly here.