Smith & Nephew grew its headcount by 1,218 workers, or 9%, to 14,686 in 2015, according to EP Vantage (London). Much of the growth was organic, and not due to M&A activity.

The company has nearly doubled its workforce over the past five years.

In fact, S&N under the leadership of CEO Olivier Bohuon has stayed away from a major M&A deal. Instead, there has been a push for organic growth and innovation internally, with $222 million spent on R&D in 2015 along. The company was even included in Forbes's latest list of the world's most innovative companies. 

Innovations at the British medtech giant include not only products but new business models, such as the Syncera system (marketing image above) for bundling a total joint replacement episode. Syncera includes not only the implant systems but also digital services, performance reviews, and metrics. 

Going forward, headcount numbers could be affected by Smith & Nephew's sale of its gynecology business to Medtronic, which closed in August. The potential effects of Britain's Brexit vote may also come into play; S&N's stock temporarily took a hit after the June 23 vote. 

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[Image courtesy of Smith & Nephew]