Top 10: Chief Digital Officers in Healthcare

As payers, health systems and pharmaceutical giants compete to modernise patient experience, expedite drug development and keep pace with a rapidly evolving tech landscape, the Chief Digital Officer has become one of the most consequential roles in the industry.

This list profiles ten executives leading that charge, from Cigna Group's Katya Andresen to BioMarin's Arpit Davé, spanning insurers, pharma majors, diagnostics firms and hospital networks. 

Ranked by the revenue of the organisations they serve, these leaders are shaping how healthcare adopts digital tools, data and AI.

10. Arpit Davé 

Company: BioMarin Pharmaceutical 

Revenue: US$3.2bn

Founded: 1997

Arpit Davé is Chief Digital and Information Officer at BioMarin, joining in January 2026 to lead enterprise-wide digital and AI strategy.

He brings over 20 years' experience across the biopharma sector, having held senior digital and technology leadership roles at Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Deloitte and Schering-Plough. 

Arpit holds an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from S.P. University, India.

9. Murali Balakumar

Company: Quest Diagnostics

Revenue: US$11.5bn

Founded: 1967

Murali Balakumar is Chief Information & Digital Officer at Quest Diagnostics, responsible for the company's technology, digital, data and analytics capabilities. 

He brings over 25 years' experience, including senior digital roles at Oak Street Health, Fiserv and General Electric. 

Murali holds a master's in engineering from the University of Texas, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai.

8. Agam Upadhyay 

Company: Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Revenue: US$11.9bn

Founded: 1989

Agam brings over 25 years’ experience to the Chief Digital and Information Officer role at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, setting strategic direction across digital, technology and AI.

He joined Vertex from GSK, where he served as CTO, leading enterprise-wide digital transformation.

Agam previously held CTO and senior technology leadership roles at Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson, and began his career in financial services at Bank of New York Mellon and Ernst & Young.

7. Kristin Myers

Company:  Northwell Health

Revenue: US$18–20bn

Founded: 1997

Kristin Myers is Chief Digital Officer at Northwell Health, spearheading the health system's digital transformation strategy.

Previously holding positions at Mount Sinai Health System and Capgemini, her focus spans enterprise platform implementation, cloud migration, clinical and administrative AI and automation, data modernisation, and technology and security infrastructure. 

Kristin drives a culture of agility and innovation, with a vision for digital technology to unlock new possibilities in patient care and position Northwell to redefine healthcare delivery.

6. Shobie Ramakrishnan 

Company: GSK

Revenue: US$43.0bn

Founded: 2000

Shobie Ramakrishnan is GSK's Chief Digital and Technology Officer, responsible for Technology and Cyber Security at the US-based firm, and joined the Executive Committee in 2021. 

She joined GSK in 2018 as CDTO for its Commercial business, having previously held senior technology leadership roles at AstraZeneca, Salesforce, Genentech and Infosys. 

Shobie holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology, University of Madras, India.

5. Krishna Cheriath

Company: Thermo Fisher Scientific

Revenue: US$44.6bn

Founded: 2006

Krishna Cheriath is Chief Digital and Data Officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific, leading digital and AI innovation, digital products and data strategy. 

He previously served as Chief Data and Analytics Officer and Head of AI at Zoetis, and as Chief Data Officer and Head of Digital Strategy at Bristol Myers Squibb. 

Earlier, Krishna spent over 15 years in management consulting at PwC, IBM, Accenture and TCS.

4. Lidia Fonseca 

Company: Pfizer

Revenue: US$62.6bn

Founded: 1849

Lidia Fonseca is Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Pfizer, responsible for enterprise-wide digital, data and technology strategy, products and solutions, as well as Learning and Development and Business Process Excellence. 

Prior to Pfizer, she served as Chief Information Officer at Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.

Lidia is also a member of Medtronic's Board of Directors and spent time at Philips.

3. Wafaa Mamilli 

Company: Roche

Revenue: US$76.3bn

Founded: 1896

Wafaa Mamilli is Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Roche, guiding technological advancements and digital strategies.

She previously served as EVP at Zoetis, directing global Tech and Digital operations, and held senior leadership roles at Eli Lilly focused on global information, cybersecurity and analytics. 

Wafaa completed advanced management programmes at Harvard Business School and London Business School, and holds degrees from INSEA, Morocco, and Université de Rennes, France.

2. Ratnakar Lavu

Company: Elevance Health

Revenue: US$199.1bn

Founded: 2004

Ratnakar Lavu is Chief Digital Information Officer at Elevance Health, leading the strategic direction of the company's Digital Platforms and Artificial Intelligence Office. 

In this role, he drives the adoption of advanced technologies and digital solutions to enhance consumer experiences, optimise operations and strengthen the organisation's position in the healthcare market.

Ratnakar brings more than 25 years of experience to the role, having held senior leadership positions across global retail and consumer brands, including Nike and Kohl's prior to joining Elevance Health.

That background has given him deep expertise in scaling digital and AI capabilities at an enterprise level — experience he now applies to Elevance Health's broader digital transformation and AI strategy across its healthcare operations.

1. Katya Andresen

Company: The Cigna Group

Revenue: US$274.9bn

Founded: 1982

Katya Andresen is Cigna Group’s Chief Data, Digital and AI Officer, and a member of its Enterprise Leadership Team.

She leads data commercialisation, digital, advanced analytics, enterprise AI strategy, and customer experience innovation across the organisation, having joined the company in 2021.

Prior to Cigna, Katya drove experience innovation in financial services as Senior Vice President at Capital One. She has also held CEO and COO/CSO roles at mission-focused technology companies, including education technology firm Cricket Media and Network for Good, a digital giving platform founded by AOL, Yahoo! and Cisco. 

Earlier in her career, she worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters and the Associated Press across Asia and Africa. Katya holds a bachelor's degree in history from Haverford College.