Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Africa is a Long-Term Vision: For Medtronic, Africa is a high-potential region, and we are focusing on long-term investments in physician training, healthcare infrastructure, and access to therapies across the breadth of our portfolio.
- System Builder Approach: We partner with healthcare systems at both the government and private level, supporting regulatory development, referral networks, patient pathways and efficient infrastructure. To date the most notable progress is in countries such as Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, where we have a strong foothold.
- Balancing High-Tech and Access: Medtronic advances cutting-edge healthcare solutions (e.g., cardiac ablation, renal denervation, robotic surgery) while also pursuing simplified, scalable technologies tailored for emerging markets.
- Investing in Local Talent: We focus on hiring and developing local teams to build sustainable growth, who are at the heart of the healthcare landscape.
- Collaborative Vision for Africa: Unified industry action and local investment to build care capacity for long-term health and economic impact.
EF: How do you see this year from your perspective? What are the priorities on your agenda?
MK: Africa is a strategic growth region for Medtronic. We see potential that is similar to how China has developed, and how the Indian healthcare landscape is evolving. There are similar demographics in terms of population, but the healthcare systems still have a long way to go. This is recognized by governments, private entities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). I’m confident we are on the right track. The focus on noncommunicable diseases is growing rapidly, modern hospitals are emerging, and there is a strong interest in providing access to therapies.
At Medtronic, we are deeply committed to supporting Africa’s healthcare transformation. We are working on increasing human resource capacity through training, support, and education for physicians and surgeons. Alongside this, we are developing specific awareness campaigns to help physicians and patients understand the therapies available to them. We are also working to ease bottlenecks in therapy access by providing platforms to support efficient infrastructure and by establishing strong referral connections.
While our specific activities may shift from year to year, our overarching goal is clear: to help build a healthcare ecosystem that enables Africa’s 1.5 billion people to access high-quality care. Our approach—centered on training, infrastructure, efficiency, and awareness—is already showing results in several countries, and we’re confident the momentum will continue.
While progress is uneven across the continent, the overall direction is positive. We believe the momentum will continue, and we remain committed to being a trusted partner in Africa’s healthcare journey.
EF: You oversee such a large and diverse region. How do you balance your resources? Where do you identify opportunities to make a difference?
MK: In Africa, it’s critical to take a long-term view. Many of the markets we operate in are still developing foundational healthcare infrastructure, and so the programs often begin from a greenfield level. That means we first need to focus on the basics—helping build capacity, systems, and awareness—before we can effectively introduce more advanced medical technologies.
We approach this as a gradual progression. It typically starts with addressing urgent public health needs like infectious diseases, followed by a growing focus on noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. From there, we work to introduce more complex interventions, including pacemakers, heart failure devices, and neurostimulation technologies for conditions affecting the spine and brain.
Our focus is on supporting countries and institutions that show a commitment to strengthening their healthcare ecosystems. This includes advancing regulatory frameworks, expanding access, and improving the quality of care. We also emphasize the importance of strategic investment decisions that maximize the impact of limited resources, ensuring that every healthcare dollar spent translates into real improvements in outcomes and access.
We’ve seen encouraging progress. Countries like South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria have healthcare systems that are growing at a significant rate annually. These systems are expanding access and generating measurable value. Each year, we see a new market in Africa emerge as a leader—what I’d call the “new star” on the continent—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and setting an example for others.
EF: How is Medtronic preparing for the next generation of solutions?
MK: At Medtronic, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of healthcare innovation to meet evolving patient needs. Currently, two of our most exciting and impactful developments are in cardiac ablation and renal denervation.
Cardiac ablation is seeing tremendous momentum. Our latest products in this space have been exceptionally well received by physicians globally, and we’re experiencing demand that outpaces supply. We’re confident in our projections and leadership position, and we continue to expand our portfolio to stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving therapy.
Renal denervation is another breakthrough we’re particularly enthusiastic about. This minimally invasive procedure is designed to treat patients with uncontrolled hypertension—a condition especially prevalent in Africa, where the World Health Organization reports some of the highest rates globally. Receiving FDA approval in late 2023 was a significant milestone, and we believe this therapy could have a transformative impact in both Africa and Asia, where the burden of hypertension remains under-addressed.
We’re also advancing the future of surgery through our robotic-assisted surgery platform, which is currently under FDA review. We see great potential for this technology in Africa. Robotic systems can help bridge skill gaps, enabling surgeons to perform complex procedures with greater precision. We've integrated artificial intelligence into our surgical robotics platform thanks to a recent acquisition, and this technology now supports physicians intraoperatively, improving consistency and outcomes.
Given the widespread physician shortages across Africa, robotics and AI represent powerful tools to expand access, boost efficiency, and elevate the overall quality of care. These technologies are not replacements for skilled healthcare professionals, but enablers that support diagnosis, treatment, and surgical precision.
Importantly, these innovations complement our established strengths in coronary disease, cardiac surgery, and structural heart, and spine therapies. As healthcare systems across Africa continue to mature, we’re confident that these advanced solutions will play an increasingly central role in delivering better outcomes for more patients.
EF: How do you define Africa’s strategic importance?
MK: Many of Africa’s economies are now among the fastest-growing in the world, with consistent GDP growth and improving macroeconomic indicators. The political instability that once limited progress has diminished significantly, creating a more stable, development-ready environment. In this context, healthcare becomes a critical pillar for societal advancement, and we’re seeing that momentum take shape across the continent.
Given these dynamics and rising healthcare demand, now is the right time to invest in and contribute to Africa’s transformation. When we look at the continent’s demographics—young, fast-growing, and increasingly urbanized—it’s clear that Africa has the potential to become an economic force on par with China in the coming decades. That may be a bold prediction, but I believe it’s achievable.
But the opportunity isn’t just about bringing innovation into Africa. There's also a chance for innovation to flow outward from Africa to the world. Given its unique needs and demographics, we have an opportunity to rethink how we develop technology, designing solutions not just for complexity, but for scale and simplicity. These innovations don’t need to be the most advanced; they need to be the most accessible. Devices that can be used by frontline healthcare workers, even in low-resource settings, have the power to dramatically expand care delivery.
As emerging regions like Africa evolve, they will influence how global companies approach research and development. It’s not just about high-tech innovation, but also about creating smart, streamlined solutions that require minimal infrastructure and training. By embracing both ends of that innovation spectrum—cutting-edge and simplified—we can dramatically expand access to quality care and improve health outcomes for millions more people.
EF: How does Medtronic not only attract but also retain the very best talent that the region has to offer?
MK: We have exceptional talent making up our diverse, multidisciplinary team that is headquartered in Johannesburg and Cairo and based across the whole continent.
Our role is to identify potential talent early, provide the necessary support to close skill gaps and invest in developing the next generation of leaders who will help shape the future of healthcare locally.
We believe strongly in a local-first approach. Rather than relying on importing talent or rotating in short-term expatriates, we focus on building sustainable, regionally anchored teams. If you're committed to long-term impact, you need people who are embedded in the culture, the healthcare systems, and the communities they serve. It is only in rare, time-bound cases that we look outside when very specific expertise is needed.
We’re also committed to investing in continuous learning and leadership development. In every market, whether large or small, we see the same drive and passion to deliver results and improve lives. Many of our teams have laid strong foundations, and we’re confident that the seeds they’ve planted will yield a significant impact over the next three to ten years. Retaining talent isn’t just about providing a job—it’s about providing purpose, growth, and a clear role in building something that matters.
EF: What is the number one thing you are most excited about at Medtronic?
MK: We’ve always been strong in product innovation, it is part of our DNA and has been for more than 75 years. Our mission has always guided our focus. But today, we recognize that innovation can’t stop at the product level. Our customers, physicians, administrators, and hospital leaders are under enormous pressure. They’re overloaded with patient care and daily operations and don’t always have the time or space to step back, reassess, and drive system-wide improvements.
Healthcare systems around the world, developed and emerging, are under strain. Costs are rising fast, and not just because of access issues. Often, it’s due to inefficiencies and waste that go unnoticed in the constant rush of care delivery. Making changes to improve efficiency is critical, but it’s difficult to do when you’re managing a system that’s literally saving lives. The fear is always: how do you improve without causing disruption?
This is where I believe Medtronic can make an even bigger difference. We see it as our responsibility not just to deliver devices and therapies, but to help shoulder some of the burden our customers carry. We aim to bring forward solutions that make care more efficient, that ease the clinician’s workload, and ultimately make healthcare more accessible using the same resources, but deploying them more intelligently.
That’s why I’m especially excited about our Integrated Health Solutions (IHS) business. Over the past decade, we’ve built dedicated teams that help hospitals tackle real-world challenges from designing new facilities and cath labs to optimizing patient flow, staff training, and even financial models. We’re currently partnering with more than 350 providers, and we believe we can scale that to 2,000 globally.
In emerging markets, that might mean helping hospitals take their very first steps. In more advanced systems, it's about easing the pressure on overstretched teams. The pandemic only magnified these pressures, and the toll it's taken on healthcare workers has been severe. We must support them.
Our teams deeply analyze departments, identifying inefficiencies and redesigning workflows. They work hand-in-hand with providers to deliver better experiences for both care teams and patients. We also help integrate technologies into clinical and management processes, enabling hospitals to track spending, understand patient journeys, and link financial flows to clinical outcomes. That kind of insight is invaluable—and we don’t just provide it, we help implement and track it.
What sets us apart is not only the scope of what we offer, but the depth. While many companies promote solution-based models, few offer the scale, maturity, or cross-specialty expertise we’ve developed across areas like surgery, cardiac surgery, and neurosurgery. It’s a unique offering and one that’s delivering real relief and results.
Ultimately, what excites me most is this: while our R&D teams continue to push the boundaries of technology, we’re making sure those breakthroughs truly reach our patients, ensuring they receive the best care possible, and our customers thrive, translating innovation into real-world impact.
EF: Do you have a final message?
MK: First, thank you for giving the region visibility. That matters. Even though the world sometimes feels like it’s moving in different directions, we still have a lot to gain from staying connected.
Africa is a place where collaboration can take on a new and more impactful meaning. Companies here have a real opportunity to work together to drive meaningful change. In this context, collective effort is far more effective than isolated actions.
There’s a clear opportunity to build a stronger platform for MedTech, healthcare, and other industries, essentially an African plan. But for that to happen, we need to see a coordinated increase in investment. One that allows the continent to harness its own resources more effectively, and to deliver greater impact for its people.
Today, medical tourism remains a big challenge. Many patients travel abroad for treatment, and while that may solve individual needs, it ultimately drains resources from local systems. That money could instead be used to build stronger healthcare infrastructure across Africa—something that would have a lasting effect on both access and outcomes.
If we can anchor more of that investment within Africa, the improvements in accessibility will multiply, benefiting both patients and the broader healthcare ecosystem. I believe in a collaborative approach, and I appreciate the role organizations like yours play in bringing stakeholders together to move this vision forward. If we can achieve that, it would be a major step for the continent.
