Kevin Lobo, Stryker: The $1.6B Bet That Changed an Industry

What does it take to back a decision that may take years to prove itself? 

Soon after becoming CEO of Stryker, Kevin Lobo backed a $1.6 billion acquisition of Mako, a loss-making robotics company many customers, investors and industry experts believed was unnecessary. The deal would reshape both orthopedic surgery and Stryker’s growth trajectory. 

Join host Jimmy Allen of Bain & Company as Kevin explains why he saw asymmetric upside in robotic-assisted surgery, how he sustained his conviction through disappointing early results, and how one bold bet became the foundation for a repeatable acquisition model spanning more than 60 deals. 

Kevin and Jimmy also explore the tension between autonomy and scale. How do you capture the advantages of size without inviting bureaucracy? What should remain decentralized, and where can shared capabilities create a real edge? 

This is a conversation about repeatable growth, the cost of complexity, and the CEO’s role in helping leaders think like founders. 

Read what host Jimmy Allen had to say about this episode.