Top 10: HR Leaders in Healthcare

The healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors are currently navigating a monumental shift, driven by digital transformation, the integration of AI and a renewed focus on global health equity. 

HR leaders are at the heart of this evolution, driving people strategies to keep workplaces agile amidst rapid change and evolution.

Here, we're looking at the people leaders who are building impactful HR strategies and developing growth-led cultures in the healthcare sector. 

10. Khadija Ben Hammada

Company: Merck Group

Revenue: US$24.43bn

Location: Darmstadt, Germany

Khadija Ben Hammada, Member of the Executive Board and Chief People Officer of Merck Group, has played a key role in Merck Group’s AI workforce approach, having launched an AI-based skill mapping tool that catalogs the talents of  the company’s global employee base of 62,000 people.

This system allows the organisation to identify internal talent gaps in real-time and match employees with project-based opportunities across different business sectors.

She has also been a primary architect of Merck’s "Future of Work" framework, which emphasises flexible working models and the integration of AI to streamline HR operations.

9. Christopher Shryock

Company: Medline

Revenue: US$28.4bn

Location: Illinois, US

Christopher Shryock joined Medline as Chief Human Resources Officer in 2024, bringing a wealth of experience from consumer giants such as PepsiCo and Walmart. Leading the global HR strategy for more than 45,000 employees, he has advanced Medline’s growth through scalable systems, greater consistency across global teams and a strong, high-performance culture.

Christopher has also prioritised an environment rooted in shared values and belonging, empowering employees to grow their careers while delivering for customers and the business.

8. Eric Dozier

Company: Eli Lilly and Company

Revenue: US$45.04bn

Location: Indiana, US

Eric Dozier serves as the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Diversity at Eli Lilly. 

His leadership is defined by a deep understanding of the business, having worked for Eli Lilly for more than 28 years and holding roles across the company’s global operations. 

Having held leadership roles across commercial, marketing and compliance teams, he has a strong understanding of the core businesses operations and how they intersect with people strategy.

Under his leadership, the company has launched a Racial Justice Commitment, which aims to increase the representation of black Americans in its US workforce to 13%. 

7. Natalie Bickford

Company: Sanofi

Revenue: US$46bn

Location: Paris, France

Natalie Bickford is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Sanofi, where she leads a global workforce of over 90,000 employees. 

Her leadership is centered on systemic organisational change, including a mandate for gender-balanced shortlists for all executive roles and a women in leadership development programme to improve gender parity in leadership.

In 2024, she launched the ‘Cancer & Work: Acting Together’ programme, a global initiative that guarantees job security, salary continuation for 12 months and flexible work arrangements for any employee diagnosed with a critical illness. 

Initiatives such as these have helped Sanofi shift its AI strategy towards a more future-enabled workforce, using AI and digital tools to bridge its talent gaps.

6. Rob Kowalski

Company: Novartis

Revenue: US$54.5bn

Location:  Basel, Switzerland

Rob Kowalski is the Chief People and Organisation Officer at Novartis, a role he assumed in 2021 after a 30-year career in regulatory affairs and drug development. 

This background allows him to align HR strategies directly with the complexities of the pharmaceutical pipeline. 

Rob is responsible for overseeing the people strategy for over 75,000 employees, focusing on transitioning the company into a focused medicines organisation through a streamlined operating model.

In his role, he has led the development of the company’s ‘Inspired, Curious and Unbossed’ cultural transformation strategy, which is designed to foster a more agile and empowered workforce.

This approach is designed to create a safe, supportive and inclusive work environment where employees can feel safe to take risks, learn from mistakes and share ideas.  

5. Payal Sahni

Company: Pfizer

Revenue: US$63.63bn

Location: New York, US

As the Chief People Experience Officer at Pfizer, Payal Sahni leads the human capital strategy for a global workforce of over 80,000. 

Her leadership is defined by aligning enterprise-wide workforce planning with Pfizer’s aggressive scientific innovation and commercialisation goals. 

A landmark achievement in her tenure is the development of the Breakthrough Fellowship Programme, a strategic initiative designed to accelerate diverse leadership representation and ensure a robust pipeline of internal talent.

She is also recognised for her ability to manage high-stakes organisational transitions, including the recent integration of Seagen, where she focused on maintaining cultural continuity during the largest M&A deal in biopharma since 2019. 

4. Cristina Wilbur

Company: Roche

Revenue: US$78.21bn

Location: Basel, Switzerland

Cristina Wilbur has been the Chief People Officer at Roche since 2016, and has been a leader of Roche’s Talent Transformation at Scale, a multi-year initiative that moved the company away from traditional hierarchies toward a more agile, network-based way of working

This initiative was designed to accelerate decision-making and ensure that talent is deployed fluidly across diagnostics and pharmaceuticals to meet evolving patient needs.

In her time at Roche, Cristina has also led large scale business transformations, encouraging a culture of agility within the company. 

3. Kristen Mulholland

Company: Johnson & Johnson

Revenue: US$94.19bn

Location: New Jersey, US

As the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Johnson & Johnson, Kristen Mulholland leads the global talent strategy for one of the world’s largest healthcare companies. 

Her leadership is defined by a focus on purpose-led careers, aligning the workforce with the company’s mission to transform the trajectory of human health. 

A key achievement in her tenure is the co-founding of the Johnson & Johnson Military Veteran Leadership Development Programme – a structured initiative that facilitates the transition of high-potential veterans into critical leadership roles within the healthcare sector.

By modernising Johnson & Johnson’s culture to be more agile and tech-enabled, she is ensuring the business remains a top-tier employer in an increasingly competitive global market.

2. LeAnn Smith

Company: McKesson

Revenue: US$359.05bn

Location: Texas, US

LeAnn Smith serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at McKesson. 

Since taking the role in 2022, she has spearheaded initiatives designed to transform the company’s operating model to better support its oncology and specialty care growth. 

In her role, she has successfully increased internal leadership readiness by overhauling McKesson's executive development and talent acquisition frameworks.

A key initiative under her leadership is the integration of AI-driven workforce analytics to enhance operational efficiency. 

This digital-first strategy is designed to equip McKesson’s workforce with the skills necessary for a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape. 

1. Heidi Capozzi

Company: CVS Health

Revenue: US$402.07bn

Location: Rhode Island, US

Heidi Capozzi is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at CVS Health, where she oversees the human resources strategy for one of the largest and most complex workforces in the healthcare sector. 

She has been a key architect of the company’s workforce strategy during a period of significant business expansion, with a leadership focus on creating internal mobility.

To achieve this, she has created structured career pathways specifically designed to help employees transition from entry-level positions into high-demand roles in healthcare and technology, to help the company scale digital and clinical capabilities internally. 

In addition to talent mobility, Heidi has improved accountability for DEI in the business by embedding inclusion metrics into leadership performance expectations. 

She has also modernised the company’s employee engagement strategy by building out comprehensive employee listening programs tailored specifically for frontline retail and clinical teams. 

By aligning talent development with CVS Health’s mission, she ensures the workforce is uniquely equipped to increase access to affordable, community-based healthcare services.