Aetna Names Michael Mathias CIO

Hartford-based Aetna has promoted Michael Mathias to VP and CIO. Mathias had been CTO for the health carrier since 2008. Mathias reports to EVP Meg McCarthy, a former Insurance & Technology Elite 8 honoree who was promoted to her current position in October.

“Michael Mathias is highly regarded in the industry for his strong technical knowledge and he has the skills and health care experience to lead Aetna Information Services (AIS) going forward,” McCarthy says in a statement. "Michael and I have worked very closely for the past several years and I am delighted that he has agreed to take on this new role.”

Mathias will have oversight of AIS delivery, strategy, operations, technology and architecture and will be charged with leading innovation efforts and implementing Aetna’s long-term technology strategy, the carrier says. He was head of AIS Enterprise Architecture from 2006 to 2008 and joined Aetna in 1993 as a systems engineering manager.

A number of promotions have gone into effect at Aetna following the retirement of CEO Ron Williams. Former president Mark Bertolini became CEO two days ago. He told Reuters that the company wants to diversify into health information technology and international markets earlier that month.

When McCarthy's promotion was announced, Aetna also added to CFO Joseph Zubretsky's duties, naming him senior EVP as well as CFO and giving him responsibility for Aetna's strategic diversification initiatives.

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio