Medtronic appoints Pfizer digital tech exec Lidia Fonseca as new director

IRELAND –Medtronic has appointed Pfizer executive, Lidia Fonseca to its board as an independent director, effective immediately.

Fonseca, who holds the role of chief digital and technology officer at Pfizer, will serve on Medtronic’s compensation committee and science and technology committee.

In connection with her appointment to the Board, pursuant to the Company’s non-employee director compensation policy, Ms. Fonseca will be eligible to receive an annual cash retainer and a director equity grant.

She will receive the benefits, in each case, as described under “Corporate Governance-Director Compensation” in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 8, 2021.

Commenting on the appointment, Medtronic CEO Geoff Martha remarked that Fonseca “has an impressive history of developing digital healthcare solutions that deliver powerful insights to improve patients’ lives.”

Martha added that Fonseca’s “extensive knowledge and expertise will provide the board with an important dimension and a tremendously valuable perspective.”

In her current role, she is responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise-wide digital strategy, leading all-digital, data and technology solutions at Pfizer.

Medtronic said Fonseca heads a range of innovative programs and initiatives, including ones for digitizing drug discovery and development, improving health outcomes and patient experiences through digital health, medicines and diagnostics.

Meanwhile, Fonseca led Pfizer’s digital team as the drugmaker made efforts to help the company develop COVID-19 vaccine in less than a year. She is also responsible for Pfizer Learning and Development and Business Process Excellence.

She also led efforts to create Pfizer’s advanced analytics platform for combining data and tools from the company and external partners to model scientific and clinical decisions, patterns and insights.

Ms. Fonseca also spearheads operational processes through automation and robotics; and deliver powerful insights with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) for better decision-making.

In her current role, she is responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise-wide digital strategy, leading all-digital, data and technology solutions at Pfizer.

Prior to her current role at Pfizer, Ms. Fonseca served from 2014 to 2018 as chief information officer at Quest Diagnostics, where she was responsible for technology, informatics and digital solutions, holding the same position at Labcorp from 2008 to 2013.

Ms. Fonseca brings more than 30 years of experience in healthcare innovation to the table.

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