Cardinal Health headquarters in Columbus, Ohio
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Cardinal Health is a global, integrated healthcare products and services company that generated $205 billion in revenue in its fiscal year 2023. The company plays a critical role in healthcare, distributing pharmaceuticals and medical products in over 60,000 countries every day. Leading technology and business services is Michelle Greene, Cardinal Health’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), who has been with the company for nearly four years and in her current role for more than two. Greene has been instrumental in driving strategic priorities, advancing digital capabilities and enhancing operational resilience.
Re-segmentation of Cardinal Health’s business
Cardinal Health recently underwent a business re-segmentation to provide greater focus and visibility to its various divisions. “When [one thinks] for Cardinal Health, we think about drug distribution and the medical division,” Greene explained. shine in the spotlight in every area, empowering leaders to engage in new conversations and take on higher responsibilities.” Greene added, “These organizational changes have created opportunity to utilize the full leadership potential and align with the company’s growth strategy.”
Strategic Imperatives for Technology and Business Services
As CIO, Greene’s remit spans a wide range of responsibilities, from strategic acquisitions to cybersecurity and talent management. Reflecting on her role, she emphasizes the importance of balancing new initiatives with maintaining the core business. “Our CEO, Jason Hollar, challenges us to grow the business while keeping the basics in mind,” she says. “Acquisitions or partnerships must complement our core strengths and cyber security is always top of mind.” Greene’s collaboration with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) ensures the company is resilient in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Michelle Greene of Cardinal Health
To strengthen the workforce, Greene has prioritized the development of internal talent. “We have launched a Digital University to upskill our teams, particularly around AI, offering exciting opportunities [for existing employees] before looking out,” she noted. “This approach helps us build internal knowledge and keeps our teams motivated.”
Integrating Technology and Business Services
Greene oversees technology and business services, a combination she sees as highly synergistic. “Technology and business services often intersect,” she said. “Many think of business services as primarily offshore talent in India or the Philippines, but it is much broader. We are focusing on finding the best talent globally to align with our organizational goals.” By leveraging diverse talent pools and optimizing operational costs, Greene’s approach strengthens Cardinal Health’s competitive advantage.
Fostering innovation with commercial technologies
Greene’s team is deeply involved in developing commercial technologies that increase customer engagement and operational efficiency. She emphasized the importance of cooperation when she pointed out: “The closer we are to our clients’ problems, the better we can develop solutions. We have transformed our commercial technology team into true business partners who work closely to understand requirements and deliver impactful solutions.”
One notable innovation is VantusHQ, Cardinal Health’s new pharmaceutical e-commerce platform. “VantusHQ unifies the customer experience into a single, customized storefront with modern, component-based architecture,” Greene explained. In addition, the Sonexus business uses advanced data platforms to simplify patient enrollment and improve medication adherence, ensuring faster access to specialty medications.
Empathy in leadership
A self-described empathetic leader, Greene believes empathy is a cornerstone of effective leadership. “Empathy means meeting people where they are and understanding their unique challenges,” she emphasized. However, she acknowledges the need to balance sensitivity with patience. “People don’t always get to the same place as quickly as I could,” she reflected. Greene’s leadership style includes tailoring her approach to her eight direct reports, ensuring they receive the support they need to succeed.
Data and automation transforming healthcare
Data is revolutionizing healthcare delivery, with automation playing an important role in Cardinal Health’s operations. Greene shares insights into the use of robotics in the company’s distribution centers. “Robotics have made us more responsive and efficient, but they have also raised questions about job displacement,” she noted. “We’ve worked to position robots as complementary to human jobs, which has helped ease concerns.”
The integration of data analytics, AI and automation under Greene’s leadership provides a unified approach to optimizing logistics and improving service delivery. “Having these capabilities under one leader helps us align better and innovate faster,” she said.
Board Membership and Broader Perspectives
In addition to her role at Cardinal Health, Greene serves on the boards of Werner Enterprises and GreenPath Financial Wellness. These experiences have broadened her perspective on governance and leadership. “Serving on a board is an important responsibility,” she warned. “It’s not just about attending meetings; it requires preparation and commitment. But it has also deepened my understanding of Cardinal Health’s audit committee and enhanced my contributions to our organization.”
Championing Diversity in Tech
Greene is passionate about advancing diversity in technology, especially for women and leaders of color. “There has been progress, but not as much as I would like,” she admitted. Greene is part of a small network of black women who are CIOs and CTOs, highlighting the need for more representation. “We need to maintain interest in tech careers and provide opportunities early on,” she says, championing initiatives like Girl Scouts STEM events to inspire future leaders.
Looking ahead to 2025
As Greene looks to the future, she is optimistic about Cardinal Health’s trajectory. “This is a great time to be working at Cardinal,” she said. “The enthusiasm of our team and the progress we have made is truly exciting. As we continue to grow, I am committed to ensuring that we appreciate how far we have come while keeping our focus on what lies ahead.”
Peter High is President of The Metis Strategya business and IT consulting firm. He has written three best-selling books, including his latest Getting to Nimble. He also moderates Technovation podcast series and speaks at conferences around the world. Follow him on Twitter @PeterAHigh.
