MedWorld Advisors Hosts Panel at MDM West 2026: Impacts of Tariffs on Organic and Inorganic Trends in Global MedTech Markets

At MD&M West 2026, MedWorld Advisors hosted a panel outlining the impacts of tariffs on the strategic activities and planning for MedTech companies, and how they are reshaping both organic growth strategies and inorganic activities such as M&A within the MedTech industry. With an emphasis on tariff pressures and their influence on manufacturing footprints, supplier selection, and cross-border deal flows — and why these shifts are accelerating nearshoring, vertical integration, and strategic acquisitions.

Panelists:

Dave Sheppard, Co-Founder & Managing Director - Speaker

David Sheppard has been a leader in the medical device industry for more than 30 years. His experience includes positions such as GM and VP, as well as high impact sales and marketing leadership roles at major Fortune 500 corporations (Medtronic/Covidien, BD/Bard, Cooper and Ciba). His achievements also involve work at startup organizations (including working pre-IPO on a successful IPO company). As a Managing Director at MedWorld Advisors, Sheppard is focused on exit strategies for the MedDevice, BioTech, DentalTech, DigitalHealthTec, and OEM Medtech companies. For M&A, the goal is to help small- and medium-sized companies maximize their value with their exit strategy and/or achieve success with their acquisition strategy. Having completed international/cross-border deals, an important component to MedWorld’s success is its global reach and ability to cross boundaries to successfully facilitate transactions. In addition to M&A achievements at MedWorld Advisors, his medtech career worldwide results include completing distribution and licensing deals with international businesses, comprised of major Fortune 500 companies (e.g., GE, Philips, Stryker, NK, Mindray, etc.) as well as smaller entities. These experiences have led to a global network of contacts with channel partners both large and small. Sheppard has been involved in “go-to-market” strategies on every major developed continent (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South America).

Daniel Sheppard, Managing Director - Speaker

Daniel Sheppard has spent nearly two decades advising founder-owned MedTech and finance companies in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and strategic growth initiatives. He is currently a Managing Director at MedWorld Advisors. Daniel joined the MedWorld Advisors team in 2016 as a valuable asset in managing deal processes. Coming from a financial background with process and project management experience, Daniel's unique skills have proven invaluable in managing dynamic and fast paced M&A processes. His creative and calculated M&A process inputs have guided past MWA clients to not only solidify company value but also maximize value creation that has exceeded client expectations.

Estelle Black, Business Operations Director - Moderator

Estelle Black, Business Operations Director at MedWorld Advisors, has a decade of experience working with companies and supply chains, mostly helping organizations ensure a positive contribution to enterprise value. Through her leadership in pre- and post-LOI diligence activities, she facilitates M&A execution at MedWorld Advisors.