UnitedHealth Group Appoints Patrick Conway as New CEO of Optum

In his new role, Conway will succeed Heather Cianfrocco, who will transition into a new leadership position at UnitedHealth Group.

UnitedHealth Group has named Patrick Conway, M.D., as the new CEO of its Optum division, effective May 6, 2025. 

Conway, a seasoned healthcare executive with extensive experience in the insurance and healthcare policy sectors, will succeed Heather Cianfrocco, who will transition to a new leadership role at UnitedHealth Group.

Conway’s career has spanned leadership roles at Optum and across the healthcare industry. He previously served as the CEO of Optum Rx, the company’s pharmacy benefit management unit, and has held key positions at Optum Health. 

His experience also includes his tenure as director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he was responsible for shaping crucial payment models for government insurance programs.

Adding comments, Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, said, "Patrick Conway is an experienced healthcare leader with a deep understanding of our business and the evolving healthcare landscape. His leadership at Optum will be critical as we focus on improving our performance for the remainder of 2025 and into early 2026."

Leadership Transition at Optum

As part of this leadership change, Heather Cianfrocco, who has led Optum Rx and held multiple senior positions at UnitedHealth, will step into a new role as executive vice president of governance, compliance, and information security. 

UnitedHealth Group’s leadership reshuffle comes during a period of financial strain for the company. The healthcare giant recently reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the first quarter, with rising costs impacting its performance, particularly in the Medicare Advantage segment. UnitedHealth has since reduced its full-year outlook for 2025. CEO Witty emphasizes that these leadership changes are part of the company’s strategy to address current financial challenges and optimize its operations for future growth.

"These strategic leadership changes are aligned with UnitedHealth Group’s commitment to building a team with a broad range of expertise to address current challenges and future opportunities in healthcare," Witty said.