iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
AI company Anthropic has added a major voice from the global healthcare sector to its leadership, appointing Vas Narasimhan to its Board of Directors.
Narasimhan, an Indian-origin physician-scientist and Chief Executive Officer of Novartis, joined the board through the Anthropic Long-Term Benefit Trust, an independent body designed to ensure the company balances commercial success with its public mission of developing AI for the long-term benefit of humanity. With his appointment, directors selected by the trust now form a majority on the board.
Anthropic said his addition brings extensive experience from one of the world’s most tightly regulated industries, where he has overseen the development and approval of more than 35 new medicines.
“Vas brings something rare to our board. He’s overseen the development and approval of more than 35 novel medicines for the benefit of patients around the world in one of the most regulated industries,” said Daniela Amodei, Co-founder and President of Anthropic. “Getting powerful new technology to people safely and at scale is what we think about every day at Anthropic. Vas has been doing exactly that for years, and I’m grateful he’s joining us.”
Anthropic operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, with its governance structure designed to maintain a balance between shareholder interests and broader societal goals. The Long-Term Benefit Trust, whose members do not hold financial stakes in the company, plays a key role in this structure by appointing directors focused on long-term impact.
“The Long-Term Benefit Trust’s role is to appoint directors who will ensure Anthropic responsibly balances its commitment to stockholders and its public benefit mission as the company grows. Vas has spent his career stewarding breakthrough science responsibly —exactly the perspective we are excited to have on the board as we develop consequential technology. We’re excited for what he’ll bring to the table,” said Neil “Buddy” Shah.
Narasimhan said his experience across medicine and global health has shaped his view of how technology can be used responsibly, particularly in areas such as disease research and drug development.
“Working across medicine, innovation, and global health has shown me the transformative potential of technology when deployed responsibly. In healthcare, AI is accelerating solutions to some of the hardest scientific challenges, from deepening our understanding of disease biology to designing better medicines,” said Narasimhan. “Anthropic is setting the standard for how AI should be developed to benefit humanity, and I’m honored to join the Board and contribute to its mission.”
Beyond his corporate role, Narasimhan has worked on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis programs across India, Africa, and South America, and continues to advocate for global health access. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the boards of the University of Chicago and Harvard Medical School. He also previously chaired the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and remains on its board.
He joins an existing board that includes Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, Yasmin Razavi, Jay Kreps, Reed Hastings, and Chris Liddell, as Anthropic continues to expand its leadership while advancing its work in artificial intelligence.
Photo: LinkedIn