Dive Brief:
- Amazon’s healthcare leader is stepping down from this summer, and the co-founder of telehealth company Amwell will replace him, the retail and technology giant said Wednesday.
- Neil Lindsay, who became senior vice president of Amazon Health Services in 2021, is leaving to pursue personal projects, he said in a message to Amazon employees.
- Dr. Roy Schoenberg, the former co-CEO of Amwell who helped found the telehealth provider two decades ago, will start as new head of Amazon’s health business on July 1. Lindsay will stay on as an advisor to Schoenberg through the end of the year.
Dive Insight:
Lindsay joined Amazon in 2010, previously holding leadership positions in marketing and the retailer’s Prime subscription service. He’s also overseen significant change at Amazon’s health operations since taking up the post nearly five years ago.
The technology giant acquired primary care chain One Medical for $3.9 billion in 2023, and has since embedded the brand with its other health offerings. Amazon has also expanded its pharmacy operations after launching the business in 2020, including creating a generic drug discount program and rolling out manufacturer coupons for some brand name medications.
The retailer has also homed in on artificial intelligence. In January, Amazon launched a health-focused AI chatbot for One Medical members, and this spring expanded the tool to all U.S. consumers.
Now, Schoenberg will take the reins. The executive founded Amwell with his brother Ido in 2006, serving as president and co-CEO until 2024. Schoenberg then worked as executive vice chairman of Amwell’s board of directors, a position he left earlier this month. He also founded Aileen.ai, a company creating an AI health companion for seniors, last year, according to his LinkedIn.
“He brings a rare combination of clinical expertise, technology vision, and experience building healthcare businesses at scale,” Doug Herrington, CEO of worldwide stores at Amazon, wrote in a letter to employees.
The leadership change comes about a year after Amazon restructured its health business, following the departure of leaders like the former CEO of One Medical. Aaron Martin, who served as vice president of healthcare at Amazon until December, also joined insurer Humana as president of Medicare Advantage in January.
