Hearing What’s Next: Guiding a Strategic Shift for a MedTech Innovator

Client Overview

Our client is a San Jose, California-based medical device company focused on improving hearing health and quality of life for individuals with hearing loss. They manufacture and sell hearing aids directly to consumers and through various channels. The company specializes in providing hearing aid solutions for mild to moderate hearing loss.

It’s their mission to change the way the world perceives hearing loss by making every aspect of the hearing journey as invisible as possible. From the design of their devices and intuitive mobile app to extensive personalization options, rechargeable batteries, and lifetime customer support, their goal is to amplify life without compromising lifestyle.

The Challenge / Mandate

The client is shifting from a fully direct-to-consumer (DTC), over-the-counter commercial strategy to one that provides hearing devices as a reimbursable benefit through insurance carriers.

They required a seasoned healthcare consultant to refine and execute their payer strategy to grow the new business line. The role’s objectives included:

• Evaluating the current payer strategy and identifying key improvements
• Supporting go-to-market efforts for payer-provider channels
• Serving as a thought partner to executive leadership during this strategic pivot

Search Strategy

The client required a healthcare strategy consultant with a highly specific skill set to guide its transition from a direct-to-consumer sales model to a payer-driven reimbursement strategy. The search focused on individuals who could blend strategic vision with hands-on execution experience in healthcare and medical devices.

Key criteria included:

• Top-tier Consulting Experience: Preference was given to candidates from leading consulting firms (e.g., Deloitte, McKinsey, BCG) with exposure to healthcare strategy, particularly involving payer or reimbursement-related projects. A strong “strategy toolkit” was essential for structured problem-solving and executive-level communication.
• Medical Devices and Payer Strategy Expertise: Given the client’s evolving business model, the ideal candidate needed firsthand experience advising or working with medical device companies transitioning to or operating within insurance-reimbursed environments. Familiarity with value-based care, provider-payer dynamics, and reimbursement models was critical.
• Hybrid Commercial and Operational Skill Set: The client sought a consultant who could not only design strategy but also support its implementation—someone capable of bridging gaps between commercial, product, and operations teams.
• Strong Communication and Stakeholder Alignment Skills: The role required a high-EQ operator who could influence cross-functional leaders and act as a thought partner to the executive team during a pivotal transformation period.
• Independent Consulting Experience (Preferred): Because the client needed someone who could operate autonomously and immediately add value in a dynamic environment, experience as an independent consultant or in interim executive roles was seen as a strong plus.

The search ultimately prioritized versatility, healthcare-specific strategic acumen, and a track record of successful execution in similarly fast-paced, evolving environments.

The Placement

The selected consultant brought over a decade of cross-functional experience across investment banking, management consulting, corporate strategy, and corporate development within the healthcare and medical devices space. He had served in strategic roles at global medical device leaders, where he led corporate strategy development, M&A transactions, and post-merger integration initiatives.

His experience also included running a Project Management Office for a major medical device company and serving as a senior advisor to North America leadership teams. He had previously worked on value-based reimbursement strategies and pricing studies, aligning stakeholders around strategic priorities. Known for his ability to synthesize complex challenges and serve as a thought partner to executive teams, he was well-suited to lead the client’s shift toward payer engagement and insurance reimbursement.

The Outcome

The consultant successfully helped the client navigate the transition to a payer-driven model by:

• Designing and validating a payer engagement strategy aligned with U.S. healthcare reimbursement dynamics
• Providing a roadmap for commercial realignment and infrastructure development
• Advising senior leaders on pricing, reimbursement, and execution strategy
• Supporting cross-functional coordination between clinical, sales, and operations teams to align around the new go-to-market model

His impact laid the groundwork for scalable growth under the new business model and positioned the client to build long-term insurer relationships that would expand patient access and market penetration.