Smith+Nephew (NYSE: SNN) has appointed Ajay Dhankhar as chief corporate development and strategy officer, effective immediately. Dhankhar most recently served as managing director and is the founder and managing partner of Bluish Capital.
CEO Deepak Nath praised Dhankhar’s blend of scientific rigor, strategic insight, business development experience, integrations, and operational excellence, highlighting his entrepreneurial leadership as a key asset for the company’s future.
Dhankhar brings over 25 years of experience from McKinsey & Company, where he was a senior partner and held multiple leadership roles, including global head of strategy across industries, global head of strategy and M&A for Life Sciences, and global head of Life Sciences R&D.
In a LinkedIn post, Dhankhar expressed excitement to join Smith+Nephew during a period of transformation toward becoming a sustainably high-performing company. He emphasized collaboration with the leadership team, approximately 17,000 global colleagues, and external partners to advance the company’s purpose of “Life Unlimited,” drive portfolio leadership, and increase shareholder value. Dhankhar also acknowledged the support of mentors, colleagues, and family throughout his career.
Follow MEDWIRE.AI for updates on leadership and strategy in medtech.





