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Australian healthcare company Icon Group is diversifying into markets in the UK. The company is set to open 7 new cancer centres across England and Wales.
The company’s growing network will deliver a broadening range of oncology services, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy, to the NHS and private sector. This will improve access to cancer care and reduce wait times.
For Mark Middleton, CEO, Icon Group, the UK is a natural market for expansion.
‘As a global healthcare provider, the UK is a market we feel very comfortable working in,’ he says. ‘Australia has developed a great reputation for clinical excellence. Today, we are bringing Australian expertise to the UK – and other markets in Asia.’
A leading cancer-care specialist
Icon Group is a fast-expanding Australian healthcare company. Founded in 2015, it has 60 cancer centres in operation, and more in planning around the world. It also has 6 chemotherapy compounding centres and more than 80 pharmacies.
With around 4,000 employees, Icon Group manages almost 4 million patient interactions each year.
‘We bring together all aspects of comprehensive cancer care,’ says Middleton. ‘We provide medical oncology, radiation oncology, haematology, pharmacy, chemotherapy services and clinical trials. We deliver these services across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Germany.’
Opportunities for Australian healthcare
Icon Group entered the UK market in 2024 when it acquired a chemotherapy compounding business – Pharmaxo. In 2025, the company acquired its first cancer centre, in Wimbledon, London. This is an integrated centre, bringing together medical oncology, haematology, diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy and theranostics.
According to Middleton, multiple factors make the UK an attractive market for Australian healthcare companies.
‘We believe in access for everyone, and in Australia we have a long history of working in public-private arrangements,’ he says. ‘We can take this model to the UK – in fact we are already working with the NHS in London.
‘Second, the UK is a natural place for Australian companies to grow. It’s a market where we feel welcome and there are opportunities for us to take learnings from Australia to the UK. Besides, working in the UK is a rite of passage for many Australian healthcare professionals.
‘Third, the UK has plenty of opportunities in healthcare. There are challenges in accessing cancer services, such as wait times or areas with limited access. Many of these challenges we have also faced in Australia – and we can help address them in the UK.’
Icon Group’s expansion across the UK is bringing high-quality cancer care to citizens.
The UK strategy: acquisition and expansion
Icon Group’s strategy in the UK includes a mix of acquiring existing centres and building new ones.
‘We are set to open integrated cancer centres in Reading, Newcastle and Newport – which is in South Wales,’ says Middleton. ‘These are existing facilities that we are taking over and reopening after a period of closure.
‘We have also announced new cancer centres in Leeds, Brighton, Derby and Warwickshire. These are new builds.’
According to Middleton, these new facilities will enable Icon Group to provide medical and clinical services to around 3,500 patients per year. This will have a material impact on UK health delivery.
‘Expansion improves access for patients and gives them choice,’ he says. ‘We are also helping to bring clinical capability into the UK healthcare ecosystem. Like all regions, the competition for clinical talent is hard, but there is no shortage of Australians interested in moving to the UK to help us build out these services.
‘The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement has been a great help in connecting us with the relevant UK bodies to facilitate Australians relocating as part of our growth.’
One-on-one servicing with Austrade
Middleton says Austrade has provided ‘incredible’ support for Icon Group on its global journey. This includes one-on-one attention from Austrade health specialists. He says the relationship began 10 years ago when the company first expanded into Singapore and has continued ever since.
‘There is tremendous partnership and lots of support,’ he says. ‘In the UK, Austrade provided introductions to local government and networking opportunities.
‘We have participated in multiple Austrade events. These events are a platform for us to show that we are a well-regarded Australian company with a global reputation, and they open doors for us.
‘Partnership with Austrade is important because it gives us credibility and legitimacy. We have built that relationship over many years: it is based on trust and respect, and now it is helping us expand in Asia.’
Diversifying in Southeast Asia
For Icon Group, Southeast Asia is proving a major new area for regional growth.
The company began operations in Singapore in 2016 when it acquired 3 existing cancer facilities. Now, Icon Group has 8 centres in Singapore, 3 in Malaysia and one in Indonesia.
‘Southeast Asia is an attractive growth market because it is close to Australia. The health market is growing and there is a shortage of cancer services,’ he says.
‘Today there is plenty of scope to spread Australian healthcare expertise across the region,’ he adds. ‘It’s about credibility. Australia’s health system has developed a reputation for medical expertise and clinical excellence – and simply for being good partners.’
Read a case study about Icon Group’s expansion in Southeast Asia.
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