Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter Steps Down

In a memo to staff Tuesday, Boston Dynamics Robert Playter announced that he is stepping down as CEO, effective immediately. He will leave the company outright on February 27. The company is currently searching for a suitable replacement, with Amanda McMaster serving as interim Chief Executive until the role is filled.

Playter has been with company for more than 30 years, becoming the second CEO in Boston Dynamics' history when founder Marc Raibert vacated the role at the beginning of 2020. That transition occurred as the company pushed to commercialize the first product in its three decade history, the quadrupedal Spot. 

The monetization push marked a major shift for the long-time research-driven MIT spinout. The pivot was largely driven by then-owner, Softbank, which would later sell the company to South Korean auto giant, Hyundai. Since then, Boston Dynamics has unveiled two additional commercial products, the truck-unloading Stretch and humanoid robot, Atlas. 

"Boston Dynamics has been the ride of a lifetime," Playter writes in the staff letter. "What this place has become has exceeded anything I could have ever imagined all those years ago in our funky lab in the basement of the MIT Media Lab. We have created something truly special here, showing that greatness comes from talent, commitment and teamwork rather than superstar status. Many of you have heard me say that whether in sports or in business, all of my most rewarding experiences have come as a teammate. Leading this team has been the honor of my life."

The company offered me the following statement on the news,

Robert Playter is an icon of the global robotics industry, and the entire Boston Dynamics team wishes to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for his leadership. From the earliest days of hopping robots, to the world’s first quadrupeds, to spearheading the entire humanoid industry, Playter made his mark as a pioneer of innovation. He transformed Boston Dynamics from a small research and development lab into a successful business that now proudly calls itself the global leader in mobile robotics. He will be sorely missed, but we hope he enjoys some well-deserved time off. Thanks Rob.

Interim CEO, McMaster, has served as Boston Dynamics Chief Financial Officer since February 2020.