Odgers Berndtson’s Chris Hamilton and Mike Drew, look at the top five health tech leadership hiring trends they expect to play out next year
The health tech industry is at a transformative crossroads, driven by rapid advancements in technology and an evolving healthcare landscape.
As we look ahead to 2025, health tech leaders must prepare to navigate a complex ecosystem where healthcare expertise and cutting-edge technology converge.
Below, we explore five key leadership trends shaping the future of this dynamic sector.
Bridging healthcare and technology
The convergence of healthcare and technology is reshaping how care is delivered and managed. AI, telemedicine, wearable health devices, and AI-driven diagnostics are becoming integral to modern healthcare systems.
Adoption of these technologies now occurs at breakneck speed.
More than 70 per cent of healthcare organisations are actively pursuing or have already integrated generative AI capabilities to enhance diagnostic accuracy and enable earlier diseases detection.
Leaders who can capitalise on these new technologies, bridging the gap between healthcare expertise and technological advancements, will be in high demand.
Their ability to integrate innovations into healthcare workflows will be a defining factor in improving patient outcomes and distinguishing them from their peers.
Emphasising data-driven decision making
In 2025, data will remain a cornerstone of success in health tech.
Leaders who can leverage data analytics to enhance patient outcomes, optimise operations, and inform strategic decisions will stand out.
The ability to interpret complex datasets and translate them into actionable strategies will be indispensable.
For example, machine learning models predicting 24 to 48-hour discharge probabilities and intensive care unit transfers recently achieved high accuracy assessments.
This resulted in a reduction in the average patient length of stay by nearly a day, and estimated savings for hospitals in the millions of dollars.
Health tech organisations will prioritise leaders who can implement these kinds of advanced analytical technologies while leveraging a deep understanding of healthcare priorities to drive meaningful impact.
Expanding telemedicine and virtual health
Telemedicine has transformed healthcare delivery, and its role will continue to grow.
By 2025, telehealth is expected to play a significant role in expanding access to mental health services and chronic care management.
Leaders will increasingly oversee the integration of AI, wearable devices, and 5G connectivity to enhance personalised, remote patient care.
Visionary leadership in this space will not only improve accessibility but also ensure that virtual health services are seamlessly integrated into broader healthcare ecosystems.
Ensuring regulatory compliance and ethical integrity
As health tech disrupts traditional healthcare models, regulatory compliance and ethical considerations are becoming increasingly complex.
Leaders must stay ahead of evolving regulatory frameworks while ensuring ethical standards in patient data handling, privacy, and the deployment of emerging technologies.
Most recently, the FDA established a new digital advisory committee to regulate the use of AI in medical necessity and algorithmic transparency.
The move is indicative of the direction of travel when it comes to the growing regulation of advanced technologies in health tech.
Organisations will increasingly look for leaders who can navigate regulatory challenges, balancing innovation with accountability to build trust with patients, regulators, and stakeholders.
Fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration
Health tech innovations often emerge at the intersection of diverse disciplines.
Leaders who can inspire and manage multidisciplinary teams comprising clinicians, engineers, and data scientists will drive the next wave of innovation.
A study of the largest academic health centre in Latin America found cross-disciplinary collaboration among health research experts led to higher-quality and more efficient research outcomes.
The study notes this was particularly effective during COVID-19, where diverse expertise was crucial in addressing complex health challenges.
Effective collaboration across groups will require clear communication, a shared vision, and the ability to align diverse perspectives toward common goals.
Leaders adept at fostering such synergy will be well-positioned to unlock the full potential of their organisations, and sought after by boards.
We expect these five trends to lead to continued demand for executive leaders across health tech globally, throughout 2025.
