Karl Hick is the former Chief Digital & Information Officer at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. His 25+ years of experience in technology ranges from the transformation of global IT organizations to mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, to cutting-edge digital health. Impacting patients’ lives has become a meaningful value-driver in Karl’s many years in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry.
Karl led the efforts to create a diversified technology investment portfolio, including data, digital and AI. He accelerated the strategic data and digital agenda through a cloud-driven business transformation, a Digital Advisory Board (DAB) and the Global Data Council (GDC), demonstrating the value of cross-functional collaboration for a faster and more significant impact. Karl served as the Chairman of the Board for Takeda Digital Ventures (TDV). TDV invested in companies that have technologies, capabilities and business models that are strategically important to Takeda’s vision, while delivering top quartile venture-like financial returns.
With the $62B acquisition of Shire in January 2019, Karl guided the organization through the integration while accelerating data and digital innovation. He was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Shire before moving to Takeda in November 2017. Before joining Shire in 2013, Karl was the CIO of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics. Throughout his career, Karl actively engages in contributing to the technology community through his participation in various CIO Executive forums, and his championing of technology development programs to increase diversity and inclusion.
Born in Greece, Karl went to university in the U.S. and China. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and completed a Technology Executive Leadership program at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is married with two children, and lives in the Boston area.