Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) today announced it appointed former Amazon executive Ken Washington as chief technology and innovation officer.
In this newly created role, Washington will leverage his extensive experience leading technology development and execution across industries, including robotics, consumer products, automotive and space. He will also become a member of the Medtronic Executive Committee.
“This new leadership role will help Medtronic to harness the innovative spirit of our founders and ensure we are capitalizing on our scientific and technological knowledge to invent, innovate and disrupt the healthcare technology market of the future,” Chair and CEO Geoff Martha said in a news release. “Dr. Washington will help Medtronic expand use of our technology platforms across our portfolio – including robotics, sensors, implantables and AI – improving our returns on investments in innovation and expanding our technological competitive advantage to drive durable growth.”
Washington most recently served as VP and GM of consumer robotics at Amazon. He has also been the chief technology officer at Ford Motor Co., where he oversaw the development of the company’s technology strategy, including next-generation vehicle architectures, controls and automated systems. Washington also spent seven years at Lockheed Martin in numerous leadership roles, including chief technology officer, chief privacy officer and VP of the advanced technology center in Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.
Medtronic is hiring Washington at the same time that it seeks to refocus and better innovate through a shifting medtech landscape where it is more expensive to run a business. Martha recently said: “We’ve got to balance mitigating some of these headwinds with making sure that we’re making the right investments.”
