Technology · Platform · Operations Executive

The Future Belongs
to the Executed.

Strategy is abundant. Execution is rare. I've spent 23 years inside one enterprise as it scaled from $13B to $270B — turning complex transformation programs into measurable, sustained results.

$1B+
Technology investment overseen
$100M+
Enterprise value created
$50M
Annual run-rate savings
23 yrs
Cigna Group, $13B → $270B

I Build Systems That Deliver at Scale.

The Operator. I built my entire career inside one enterprise — Express Scripts, then Cigna Group — as it scaled from a $13B PBM into a $270B integrated health services company. That means I've lived through the hard parts: the acquisitions, the integrations, the modernizations, and the operating model changes that come with growth under pressure.

The Translator. What I do best is the translation layer between strategy and execution. I take enterprise ambitions — platforms to modernize, costs to reduce, global capabilities to build — and turn them into funded, governed, measurable programs that actually land. I protect the operational core while moving the business forward.

The Builder. I've overseen $1B+ in technology investment, governed portfolios of $300–500M with outcome-based funding, launched a 300-person Global Capability Center in India in under 8 months, and driven $50M+ in annual run-rate savings through data, AI, and operating model transformation. These weren't one-time events — they were sustained delivery programs inside complex, matrixed organizations.

I thrive in VP-level roles with enterprise-wide scope — spanning product, platform, portfolio, and delivery — especially in capital-backed platforms and complex regulated organizations navigating real change.

Product Management Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Cloud Computing Data Science

Based in St. Louis. Husband, father of three, and youth sports coach.

Enterprise Mandate Experience

The scope of leadership I've owned across 23 years inside one of healthcare's most complex enterprises — from platform engineering to $1B+ portfolio governance.

Enterprise Transformation & Modernization

Accountable for repeated waves of platform rationalization, system integration, and operating model redesign inside regulated enterprise environments — while sustaining operational continuity throughout.

Data, AI & Platform Leadership

Accountable for modernizing enterprise data platforms and embedding AI capabilities — natural-language analytics, call-center assist, AI-driven workforce planning — into core business operations at scale.

Global Capability Center Execution

Accountable for standing up a 300+ person Global Capability Center in Hyderabad in under 8 months — including site selection, hiring, governance, and integration into enterprise delivery systems.

Portfolio & Financial Governance

Accountable for $300M–$500M technology portfolios governed with outcome-based funding — directly connecting investment allocation to P&L results and executive-level accountability.

Operating Model Design & Adoption

Accountable for building and institutionalizing integrated operating models across business, product, and engineering — with the OKRs, governance cadences, and execution discipline to make them endure.

Talent & Organizational Development

Accountable for building high-performing organizations in distributed, matrixed environments — including succession planning, capability development, and workforce strategies that scale globally.

23 Years of Progressive Leadership

A continuous career inside one enterprise, navigating every wave of growth, integration, and reinvention — from software engineer to enterprise executive.

VP, Technology Strategy & Execution
2024 – 2025
Cigna Healthcare · US Employer Line of Business · St. Louis, MO
  • Led enterprise technology strategy and operations integration for the U.S. Employer LOB, optimizing $1B+ in total technology investment across infrastructure, platforms, and delivery.
  • Created a new Global Capability Center in Hyderabad, scaling to 300+ employees within eight months — materially improving capacity, unit economics, and delivery resilience.
  • Implemented AI-driven workforce planning and productivity capabilities to manage demand, optimize labor mix, and reduce long-term cost exposure.
  • Introduced the company's first enterprise-wide Time-to-Market metric, catalyzing a shift toward faster execution and accountability.
VP, Data & Platform Transformation
2022 – 2024
Evernorth Health Services · Data Analytics & Engineering · St. Louis, MO
  • Led transformation across a 3,000-person Data & Analytics organization, directly leading a 300-person division unifying product, engineering, and business teams.
  • Delivered $50M in annual run-rate savings through data platform modernization and analytics capability improvements.
  • Accelerated time-to-market by 25% and improved delivery predictability 20% through integrated operating model design.
  • Advanced AI-enabled capabilities including natural-language analytics, call-center assist, and competitive insight generation into core processes.
Sr. Director, Product Strategy & Portfolio
2017 – 2022
Evernorth Health Services · PBM, Pharmacy, Contact, Finance & Infrastructure · St. Louis, MO
  • Drove $50M in annual margin improvements through technology strategy and roadmap execution for PBM Finance and Rebate platforms.
  • Created $100M in enterprise value directing rebate transformation for Ascent Health (Switzerland), enabling transparency across global rebate operations.
  • Achieved $20M annual OpEx reduction modernizing the enterprise Contact Center through conversational AI and next-best-action capabilities.
  • Increased NPS by 30 points establishing the End User Experience product organization and Kanban delivery model.
Director & Program Director, Federal & DoD Integration
2012 – 2017
Express Scripts · Business & Portfolio Strategy · St. Louis, MO
  • Managed portfolios exceeding $100M and coordinated 400+ staff across 90+ applications during the Medco–Express Scripts integration.
  • Led implementation of the $55M DoD TPharm4 contract, aligning vendors, subcontractors, and government stakeholders — delivered on time and under budget.
  • Created intake and prioritization processes for $100M in client-facing technology initiatives, improving visibility and throughput.
Software Engineering & Infrastructure Leadership
2003 – 2012
Express Scripts · IC → Lead → Sr Manager → Director · St. Louis, MO
  • Progressed from Software Engineer and Tech Lead to Relationship Manager and Infrastructure Director over 9 years.
  • Led modernization of pharmacy, digital, and call center platforms. Drove early Agile adoption and CI/CD pipeline design.
  • Built the technical and leadership foundation that enabled all future enterprise-scale delivery roles.

Results That Speak for Themselves

Every number below reflects sustained delivery inside a real, complex enterprise — not a consulting engagement, but ownership of the outcome.

$1B+
Technology investment overseen
$500M
Portfolios governed with outcome-based funding
$100M+
Enterprise value created across programs
$50M
Annual run-rate savings, data & AI transformation
300+
Person GCC launched in <8 months, Hyderabad
25%
Faster time-to-market across delivery org
+30pts
NPS improvement through UX product org
23 yrs
Cigna Group through $13B → $270B growth

Education & Credentials

Academic foundation in computer science and business, supported by continuous professional certification.

Master of Business Administration
University of Missouri – St. Louis
2010
B.S., Computer Science
University of Missouri – Columbia
2002
Professional Certifications
Product Management Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Cloud Computing Data Science

Let's Connect the Dots.

I'm selectively engaged in conversations with enterprise leaders, executive search professionals, and organizations navigating meaningful transformation. If you're looking for someone who can own an enterprise mandate — not just advise on one — I'd welcome the conversation.

Connect on LinkedIn ahelfrich@gmail.com