Justin Whatling to join Optum UK as chief executive
Dr Justin Whatling is leaving his role at Palantir Technologies to join Optum UK as chief executive officer.
He will take up the position in May 2025, following almost four years as managing director of global health and life sciences at US firm Palantir, which holds the contract to deliver the NHS federated data platform.
A spokesperson for Optum, previously known as Emis, said: “Justin has successfully driven innovation and performance in the UK health care arena, most recently as managing director of Palantir Technologies and previously at Cerner where he partnered with Optum on population health management.
“His skills and experiences, combined with the unrelenting focus on quality we place on our technology-enabled solutions, will drive forward our mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health and care system work better for everyone.
“He will assume his position in a month’s time.”
Whatling, who is also part-time non-executive director at the National Institute for Health and Care, was vice president of population health at Cerner Corporation, now known as Oracle Health, between December 2012 and June 2021.
He is also a member of the Academy of Computing Board at the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
Whatling follows Dr Indra Joshi who took up the role of director of strategic engagement at Optum in March 2025, after previously working as director of health, research and AI at Palantir.
A spokesperson for Optum said: “Indra is a global leader in digital health and AI, with experience advising governments, public sector organisations and industry leaders on the responsible and effective use of emerging technologies to improve health and care.”
Joshi is also a facilitator at the World Health Organization, advisory board member at equity firm Upliift and associate editor at the BMJ.
She holds a voluntary role as founding ambassador at One HealthTech, a grassroots community that supports and promotes under-represented groups to be future leaders in health innovation.
Between July 2019 and March 2022, Joshi worked as director of AI at NHSX, where she spearheaded the creation of the NHS AI Lab, and oversaw AI projects, including the AI in Health and Care Award.
GP and pharmacy tech provider Emis rebranded as Optum in March 2025, after being acquired by the firm in 2023.
