Medtronic taps Zimmer Biomet executive as its new supply chain VP

Medtronic has hired an experienced operations and finance executive from orthopedic device giant Zimmer Biomet as its new VP and CFO of global operations and supply chain.

Joerg Schmidt announced his move to Medtronic in a LinkedIn post yesterday: “I am very much looking forward to this new chapter, partnering with teams across Medtronic, and contributing to strong execution, sustainable performance, and long-term value creation.”

Schmidt takes over the VP and CFO of global operations and supply chain post from John Barrett, who has stepped into a new role as VP of Digital Enterprise Transformation at Medtronic, according to another LinkedIn post out today.

Schmidt’s hiring is the latest in executive personnel shifts in Medtronic’s supply chain and contracting operations. With the Minnesota-run medtech giant enjoying double-digit revenue growth driven by innovative technologies such as AFib-treating pulsed field ablation, leadership sees broader supply chain initiatives beginning to deliver structural efficiencies on the profit and loss statement, according to comments made during the company’s Q2 earnings call on Sept. 1.

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A week ago, Derek Minnock, previously an executive at Medtronic’s Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, announced on LinkedIn that he had moved to a new role as VP of global contract manufacturing.

Rogerio Branco, who spent 33 years at the global power management company Eaton, joined Medtronic’s C-suite in May as SVP and chief operations and supply chain officer. He replaced EVP of Enterprise Operations Greg Smith, who left in December 2025 to become chief supply chain officer at Walgreens.

According to Schmidt’s LinkedIn page, he joined Biomet in 2011 and stayed on after the company’s merger with Zimmer in 2015, working his way up the executive ranks. Most recently, he was VP of finance, strategy and transformation for global operations. The position’s responsibilities included developing strategic plans for global operations and supply chain; executing manufacturing transfers, consolidation projects, site shutdowns and setup of new sites; performing operations M&A due diligence and integrations; and overseeing financials of 25 manufacturing sites, the global supply chain network and global inventories.

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