Who’s Leading AI In Pharma? Here Are The Top 10 Innovators

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• Top-ranked AI leaders in all sectors — Who’s climbing, who’s falling

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Daniel Neil is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of BenevolentAI, stepping up to lead the company’s tech vision. Since joining in 2017, he’s played a key role in growing the New York team and building the AI-driven tools that power BenevolentAI’s drug discovery process.

Now, as CTO, he’ll steer the company’s long-term tech strategy, working closely with the Chief Science Officer. Their mission? To push the boundaries of AI-driven drug discovery and develop breakthrough treatments for tough, untreated diseases.

Alex Zhavoronkov is all about pushing boundaries in biotech and aging science. Born in Latvia, he’s spent years diving deep into regenerative medicine and the economics of aging. He’s the founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, a company at the forefront of AI-driven drug discovery.

As of 2024, he also leads the Biogerontology Research Foundation, a UK think tank focused on aging research. His work blends science, tech, and big-picture strategy—always aiming to extend health spans and reshape how we think about aging.

Hamza Tajmouati has been deep in AI and data for years. Right now, he leads as Head of AI & Data at Iktos, a role he stepped into in June 2022. But his journey at Iktos started much earlier. Before this, he shaped AI as a Principal Scientist and Group Leader from 2020 to 2022. Earlier still, he drove machine learning efforts, leading retrosynthesis projects and pushing AI innovation.

Before Iktos, Hamza built up his skills at Publicis Groupe. From 2016 to 2017, he tackled data science challenges for big-name clients, crafting R&D solutions for Publicis Data Lab.

On the side, he’s been sharing his expertise. Since 2021, he’s mentored aspiring data scientists and machine learning engineers at OpenClassrooms. With every role, he’s honed his craft—blending AI, data, and real-world impact.

Dr. Liang Gu serves as the Chief Technology Officer at XtalPi, an innovative technology company specializing in artificial intelligence and robotics. In this role, he leads the development of digital twin solutions that integrate AI and robotics to address complex research challenges in the life sciences and new materials sectors.

Before joining XtalPi, Dr. Gu held several key positions, including Associate Director of Development Planning at Shanghai Genomics, Associate at Yale University, and Vice President of Research & Development at Sangfor Technologies. He also served as the Chief Technology Officer at QuantumPharm, Inc. Dr. Gu earned his doctorate from Peking University in 2011.

John P. Overington is a drug discovery data scientist with a knack for blending science and tech. He’s all about innovation—building smart tools, creating unique datasets, and using AI and machine learning to push medicine forward.

He thrives on solving problems—developing cutting-edge software, designing analytics workflows, and making drug discovery faster and smarter.

John isn’t just about data. He’s a mentor, helping teams grow and develop. He’s been in the game long enough to know what works—and he’s always looking for what’s next.

Heather Cole-Lewis, PhD, MPH, MA, is all about digital health and responsible AI. She’s driven by one goal—making lives better by understanding people and their world.

She’s got a killer mix of skills—social science, human-computer interaction, and data science. She doesn’t just study things; she builds real-world solutions.

Heather’s led AI and health tech projects across big industries—Tech, Pharma, Consumer Goods, Startups, Government Consulting, and Global Health. She knows how to scale innovation and make it work where it matters.

Before Google, she was the Global Lead at Johnson & Johnson Global Community Impact. Now, she’s pushing the boundaries of tech, health, and AI—and changing the game.

Dimitrije Jankovic runs the show for Data and AI Strategy globally at Sanofi. He shapes the company's AI game plan, builds innovation ecosystems, and drives transformation. He also oversees portfolio management for the global data office, handling business operations like a pro.

He didn’t just walk into this role—he built it. Dimitrije launched Sanofi’s AI Center of Excellence in Toronto and scaled it to 80 people in just one year. That’s serious momentum.

By training, he’s an engineer, but he’s got both tech and business chops. Before Sanofi, he was a leader at PwC Canada, steering Data & AI Strategy and Transformation for major industries—telecom, finance, government, and transportation.

Now, he’s on a mission to push Sanofi’s AI strategy to new heights, turning data into smarter decisions, faster innovations, and real-world impact.

Dr. Kim Branson runs the AI/ML game at GSK. As SVP and Global Head of AI/ML, he leads a powerhouse team of 50+ engineers and machine learning researchers. Their mission? Crack the code on drug discovery—using AI to connect functional genomics, human genetics, and machine learning for smarter target discovery and clinical breakthroughs.

Kim jumped aboard GSK in 2019 after heading AI for Early Clinical Development at Genentech. But his journey started long before that. He’s been knee-deep in machine learning and medical informatics for 15+ years. Drug design, disease risk prediction, AI-driven breakthroughs—you name it, he’s been in it.

An Aussie at heart, Kim earned his PhD in Computational Drug Design from the University of Melbourne after studying at the University of Adelaide. He was a Peter Doherty Fellow and polished his skills at Stanford.

Before diving into pharma, Kim played a key role in AI-driven startups. He co-founded Discovery Engine (snapped up by Twitter in 2009). He was Chief Scientist at Gliimpse (bought by Apple in 2017). He also led Lumiata as its first Chief Data Scientist, shaping predictive health analytics.

From Big Pharma to Silicon Valley, Kim’s been at the frontier of AI and healthcare. His work is shaping the future of drug discovery, one algorithm at a time.

Dr. Xiong (Sean) Liu is a data science and AI trailblazer. With 15+ years in machine learning and a decade in pharma R&D, he’s pushing the boundaries of innovation. Right now, he’s leading AI and data science efforts at Novartis. Before that, he ran the show at Novartis AI Lab, worked as a Principal Data Scientist at Eli Lilly, and held key research roles at Intelligent Automation and Johns Hopkins.

He’s been in the thick of drug development—guiding AI-driven breakthroughs from target discovery to clinical trials and beyond. His work has shaped major therapeutic portfolios and even influenced marketed drugs. His impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. He’s won big—twice earning the Lilly CIO Award, plus the Lilly Innovator Award and Novartis Star Award.

Bijoy Sagar leads the digital charge at Bayer. As EVP and Chief Information & Digital Transformation Officer (CIDO), he’s shaping the company’s tech future. With over 20 years in healthcare and chemicals, he knows the industry inside out.

Before Bayer, he ran the digital show at Stryker. As CIO and Chief Digital Tech Officer, he was part of the executive team, driving innovation at the medical tech giant. Now, he's bringing that same energy to Bayer, pushing boundaries in digital transformation.

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