Novartis has appointed Gayathri Raghupathy as Executive Director of Functional AI and Process Excellence, where she will leverage AI to enhance processes and focus on patient care.
Leading innovative medicines company Novartis has announced the appointment of Indian American scientist Gayathri Raghupathy as Executive Director of Functional AI and Process Excellence in U.S. Medical.
In her new role, Raghupathy will collaborate with cross-functional teams to harness artificial intelligence, reimagine critical processes, and scale intelligent solutions that prioritize science and patient care, according to a media release.
“Excited to share about joining Novartis,” Raghupathy expressed on LinkedIn. “I will be working with some amazing teams to harness AI, reimagine processes, and scale intelligent solutions that free us to focus on what matters most: science and patients.”
She also reflected on her career journey, stating, “Grateful for the journey from the lab to medical communications to building AI products in a startup environment, and for the incredible partners who helped shape this path. There’s so much to learn and grow into, and I can’t imagine a better place than Novartis, with its deep commitment to innovation and patients.”
Raghupathy describes herself as a “scientist turned AI strategist who loves turning fuzzy challenges into clear AI opportunities.” She emphasizes her focus on creating AI solutions that address real pain points, connecting various domains such as science, data, process, and operations to design scalable solutions.
“I thrive in fast-paced, 0-to-1 environments where experimentation and teamwork drive progress,” she noted. “Always curious, always learning, and excited about the next wave of human-centered AI in healthcare.”
Prior to her role at Novartis, Raghupathy spent over six years at Kognitic, Inc., a startup where she played a pivotal role in shaping the scientific and business strategy behind AI-enabled intelligence solutions. Most recently, she served as Chief Strategy Officer, having previously held positions such as Vice President of Scientific Strategy and Lead of Scientific & Business Strategy. Her work at Kognitic included driving product innovation, enhancing data quality processes, and collaborating with marketing and medical affairs leaders in the pharmaceutical sector to achieve comprehensive outcomes.
Earlier in her career, Raghupathy worked at BGB Group as a Medical Writer, where she supported scientific content development across various initiatives, including congress planning, promotional strategy, competitive intelligence, and digital education. She also created physician-facing materials and training assets for medical and commercial teams.
Raghupathy’s foundational experience includes co-founding CUNY Biotech and GRO-Biotech, community-led initiatives aimed at connecting life-science researchers with the biopharma ecosystem. Her academic background features a PhD in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York, where her research focused on gene regulation relevant to advancements in T-cell gene therapy.
As she embarks on this new chapter at Novartis, Raghupathy is poised to make significant contributions to the integration of AI in healthcare, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and driving innovation in the medical field.
The information in this article is based on a media release from Novartis.