Episode: 197 - Fireside Chat: How Michael Mahoney Built a Culture of Disciplined Innovation at Boston Scientific

Live from Medtech MVP, Michael Mahoney, chairman and CEO of Boston Scientific Corp, sits down with Medtech Talk podcast host Justin Klein. They discuss Mahoney’s communications strategies to align expectations and convey intentions to shareholders, how to delegate and streamline decision making, and advice on doing better as a partner. Mahoney also shares which second order considerations (such as manufacturing) are important to keep in mind, as well as whether he’s a “war time” or “peace time” CEO and what challenges the industry needs to address today to create a better tomorrow.   Medtech Talk Links:  Cambridge Healthtech Institute   Medtech Talk  Gilde Healthcare  Boston Scientific Corp: Boston Scientific Corp 

In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Eric Wichems, former CEO of Vertos Medical (recently acquired by Stryker), discuss the responsibilities of a CEO, why high accountability and transparency are important aspects of company culture, and how to hire the right person for the position—and how to determine if they can thrive in your company’s culture. Wichems shares his background in engineering and how he found his way to Vertos, as well as his thoughts on the Stryker acquisition and the reasons behind it. Medtech Talk Links:  Cambridge Healthtech Institute   Medtech Talk  Gilde Healthcare   Vertos Medical: Vertos Medical Stryker: Stryker Interventional Spine 

In this month’s Medtech Talk, co-host Swaril Mathur, vice president of business development at Axonics, debuts in her first episode with John Woock, former EVP and chief marketing and strategy officer at Axonics. They discuss the early days of their company, including what motivated Woock to join a company that was considered risky at the time, what he learned from supporting and working directly with the field team, and how Axonics handled the early stages of commercial launch during the pandemic. Woock also reflects on how much the company has changed over the years in its culture and leadership, including the decisions that felt good and the ones that were harder to grapple with. Medtech Talk Links:  Cambridge Healthtech Institute   Medtech Talk  Gilde Healthcare   Axonics Links: Axonics 

This month at Medtech Talk, co-host Justin Klein, co-founder and managing partner at Vensana Capital, debuts in his first episode with a discussion with Douglas Kelly, former deputy center director for science and chief scientist at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. Kelly talks about his time at the FDA and the fundamental changes he implemented to make a helpful impact on patients, including when the pandemic was at its peak. Kelly also shares his thoughts on the value of fostering innovation and the importance of breakthrough designation, as well as how to approach the process of advocacy and get in better alignment with shared priorities with the FDA, CMS, and other stakeholders

In the first Medtech Talk episode of 2025, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Dr. Billy Cohn, MD, PhD (H), Chief Medical Officer of BiVACOR, about entrepreneurship, limitless innovation, and thinking outside the box. Dr. Cohn discusses his experiences as a driving force behind the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center, what influenced him to pursue medical devices, and finding resources in everyday objects. He also provides advice for budding entrepreneurs and engineers and why he believes Home Depot is the headquarters of medical device prototyping. 

In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Michael Jaff, DO, chief medical officer and vice president of Clinical Affairs, Technology, and Innovation at Boston Scientific. Dr. Jaff has a long list of achievements and a robust background as a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, president of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, medical director at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and more. Dr. Jaff shares his thoughts on good leadership, medical device innovation (and how they can help hospitals succeed), and how hospitals and manufacturers can navigate post-COVID-19 financial strains. He also discusses his journey from clinician to hospital CEO to the manufacturing industry, as well as Boston Scientific’s outlook on the future.  Medtech Talk Links:  Cambridge Healthtech Institute   Medtech Talk  Gilde Healthcare  Boston Scientific: Boston Scientific 

In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Per Langoe, CEO of GT Medical, discuss Langoe’s extensive career, from his start in sales to eventually making his way to medtech. Langoe gives tips on how to keep investors on board during times of crisis (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and how he hires the right people for the job, as well as the differences between small companies and big companies and owning your company versus selling it to a larger company. He also shares what attracted him to GT Medical, what the company’s future looks like, and more. Thanks to Silicon Valley Bank for hosting this episode. Medtech Talk Links:  Cambridge Healthtech Institute   Medtech Talk  Gilde Healthcare  GT Medical: GT Medical GammaTile: GammaTile 

In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Punit Soni, CEO of Suki, about using AI to build better technology in healthcare, the origins of Suki, and how Soni shifted from Google to healthcare. Soni also delves into the difficulties and challenges of healthcare, including handling the regulatory aspects and encouraging doctors to adapt to new tech. He also discusses managing failure—as an individual and a company leader—and where we are in the evolution of what Suki is doing.  Special thanks to Silicon Valley Bank for sponsoring this episode.  

In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Dr. Liz Kwo, chief commercial officer at Everly Health, about how she got started in the medtech field, her experience at InfiniteMD, and the lessons learned along the way. They also discuss Dr. Kwo’s new book Digital MD: Revolutionizing the Future of Healthcare, which provides an in-depth look at ROI development, how organizations think, sell, and build partnerships, and more. Dr. Kwo also shares her thoughts on the difference between efficacy and effectiveness, customer profiles, the changing role of the consumer (especially when considering data and AI), and what she anticipates in the next 20 years. 

In this special episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo interviews Raymond W. Cohen, CEO of Axonics and winner of the Medtech MVP 2024 Award. The MVP Award recognizes an individual for extraordinary contributions to a medtech company that has successfully advanced an important new product and delivered strong financial returns. This year's award honors Cohen for his visionary leadership and innovative solutions that have propelled Axonics to the forefront of the industry. The pair explore Axonic’s groundbreaking technology, the importance of neuromodulation, and Cohen’s storied career, including focusing on key decisions that led him to become an entrepreneur and ultimately the leader of one of the most successful venture-backed medtech companies of our time.