PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Hilary Costa
hilary.c.costa@kp.org
April 24, 2025
Neil Cowles named chief information and technology officer
New CITO will lead IT innovation and management for the organization.
OAKLAND, Calif. ― Kaiser Permanente has named Neil Cowles as the organization’s chief information and technology officer. In his new role, he will lead the company’s information and technology organization, including the development, integration, and deployment of innovative technologies that will transform health care at scale.
Kaiser Permanente has been a leader in the use of technology to improve care throughout its 80-year history and, as part of its mission, invests in technologies that allow the organization to provide high-quality, health-focused, and convenient care to more people. IT advances the organization’s technology capabilities, deploying innovative tools that bring value to Kaiser Permanente’s 12.4 million members and over 240,000 employees.
Cowles, who has served as Kaiser Permanente’s chief technology officer since June 2024, will report to Yazdi Bagli, executive vice president, Information Technology and Enterprise Business Services. Cowles’ appointment is effective immediately.
Since joining Kaiser Permanente in 2012, Cowles has been instrumental in growing the organization’s IT capabilities. He has been accountable for both business and clinical IT systems, strengthened Kaiser Permanente’s platform resiliency, and chartered the organization’s adoption of new emerging technologies.
“Neil is an outstanding IT leader and his vision and deep expertise will be core to Kaiser Permanente’s future growth and ability to drive more value for our members and customers,” said Bagli. “Under his leadership, Kaiser Permanente will continue to advance its IT infrastructure and leverage modern technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Neil is well-respected for his knowledge and approach, and Kaiser Permanente is thrilled that he will lead our technology strategy in this important role.”
Cowles began his career as a clinically trained health care professional in the United Kingdom and Australia. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, he served in IT leadership roles in several other organizations, led global health care IT implementations, co-founded a health care data startup, and served on various boards. Cowles holds a bachelor’s degree from London South Bank University.