Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Thursday announced that Rémy Evard will be its new chief digital officer.

WHY IT MATTERS

While also serving as the head of technology for the New York City-based health system, Evard will be tasked with developing its forward-looking digital and IT strategy – putting data analytics to work toward improving science and research innovation and patient care.

He'll direct operations at MSK's Digital Informatics & Technology Solutions, which has more than 1,000 employees.

Evard arrives at MSK having most recently served for three years as chief information and digital officer at Flagship Pioneering, a venture capital firm focused on life sciences companies.

He was previously global chief information officer at Novartis Institutes of BioMedical Research for a dozen years and held various leadership roles, including CIO at Argonne National Laboratory from 1996 to 2006.

Evard holds a master's degree in computer science from the University of Oregon and bachelor's degrees in computer science and mathematics from Andrews University in Michigan.

THE LARGER TREND

Evard succeeds Claus Jensen, who left Memorial Sloan Kettering in May 2021 and is now chief innovation officer at Teladoc Health. Read our recent interview with Jensen about the future of telehealth.

The hiring of Evard is the second major IT appointment at MSK in recent years. In January 2020, MSK Cancer Center appointed Atefeh Riazi CIO. She was previously CIO and assistant secretary general at the UN.

ON THE RECORD

"For a technologist, this is an opportunity to help improve the lives of cancer patients and to contribute to humanity's ongoing quest to conquer cancer at a time when data, analytics and technology are transforming healthcare, accelerating science and empowering patients," Evard said in a statement. "I look forward to building on the work to accelerate MSK's digital transformation and help drive continued innovation."

"Rémy brings 30 years of technology leadership experience to MSK, and we are thrilled to have him on board," said Memorial Sloan Kettering COO Kathryn Martin. "He joins MSK at a critical moment in our history as several developments have set the stage for dramatic and far-reaching change in the understanding and treatment of cancer."

Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
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