10 Optum AI and data science leaders
Ed Bowen, Senior Vice President and Head, OptumAI, leads this list of Optum AI and data science leaders, who also include vice presidents of AI/ML engineering and of AI and data strategy, and senior directors and directors of AI/ML engineering and data science. A reader can learn how AI and data science leaders work at Optum from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Arun Sagar
LinkedInExperience: VP, AI/ML Engineering · Optum
Arun Sagar has been VP, AI/ML Engineering at Optum since February 2026. Arun Sagar was Senior Director, AI Engineering at Optum from 2022 to 2026, Head of Development, Machine Learning Foundation at Workday from 2020 to 2022 and Senior Director of Engineering, Analytics and Data at Guidewire Software from 2015 to 2019.
Daksh Peepat
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director - Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning · Optum
Daksh Peepat has been Senior Director - Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning at Optum since March 2024, based in the Greater Delhi Area, and lists generative AI in the profile headline. Daksh Peepat was Director Data Science at Optum from 2022 to 2024 and Associate Director at UnitedHealth Group from 2018 to 2022.
Ed Bowen, PhD
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President and Head, OptumAI · Optum
Ed Bowen has been Senior Vice President and Head, OptumAI at Optum since September 2025, based in the Philadelphia area. Ed Bowen was Managing Director Life Sciences Technology, AI, & Data Strategy at Deloitte in 2025 and Deloitte Advisory AI Leader Managing Director, AI Center of Excellence from 2020 to 2025, and describes a career delivering AI/ML and data platforms.
Nipun Sadvilkar
LinkedInExperience: Director, NLP & Data Science · Optum
Nipun Sadvilkar has been Director, NLP & Data Science at Optum since April 2024, and the listing says Nipun Sadvilkar leads AI work to build an AI-driven medical coding platform and expand AI's reach within the risk adjustment industry. Nipun Sadvilkar was Associate Director, NLP & Data Science at Optum from 2023 to 2024.
Pankaj Mishra, Ph.D.
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, AI and Data Strategy · Optum
Pankaj Mishra has been Vice President, AI and Data Strategy at Optum since November 2024, based in San Francisco, California. Pankaj Mishra was Sr. Director, AI and Data Strategy at Optum from 2022 to 2024 and Director, Product Management- Analytics and Outcomes Portfolio at Elekta from 2019 to 2022.
Saikat Pan
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director AIML Engineering · Optum
Saikat Pan has been Senior Director AIML Engineering at Optum since February 2026, based in Hyderabad, and describes the role as leading Provider AI at Optum. Saikat Pan was Director of Architecture at Optum from 2022 to 2026 and Senior Engineering Manager-Product Engineering there from 2018 to 2021.
Sandeep Bhaskar
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, AI/ML Engineering · Optum
Sandeep Bhaskar has been Vice President, AI/ML Engineering at Optum since September 2025, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Sandeep Bhaskar was Senior Software Development Manager at Amazon from 2017 to 2025 and Senior Engineering Manager at Flipkart from 2014 to 2017.
Tamer Soliman, Ph.D.
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director, AI Applied Science · Optum
Tamer Soliman has been Sr. Director, AI Applied Science at Optum since June 2026, and the listing says Tamer Soliman owns an applied-AI portfolio of enablement and revenue products at Optum. Tamer Soliman was Director & Principal Architect of Applied AI Science at Optum from 2025 to 2026 and Generative AI Scientist III AWS Bedrock at Amazon Web Services (AWS) from 2023 to 2025.
Venkata Sarvepalli
LinkedInExperience: Director of AI/ML Engineering · Optum
Venkata Sarvepalli has been Director of AI/ML Engineering at Optum since October 2026, based in the Austin, Texas area. Venkata Sarvepalli was Principal Engineer, TLCP | Senior Software Engineering Manager at Optum from 2024 to 2026, Senior Software Engineer there from 2021 to 2024 and Software Engineer from 2018 to 2021.
Vijay S. Nori
LinkedInExperience: VP of AI/ML Engineering · Optum
Vijay S. Nori has been VP of AI/ML Engineering at Optum since March 2026, based in Roswell, Georgia. Vijay S. Nori was Distinguished Engineer of AI at Optum from 2017 to 2026, Director of Data Science there from 2016 to 2017 and Associate Director of Data Science from 2009 to 2016.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose own group is closest to your question, whether that is AI/ML engineering, applied science, strategy or data science. Check the start dates of each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How have you decided which AI or machine learning work your own group takes on first?
- 02What has it taken to move a model from a pilot into production use across the business?
- 03How have you organized engineering and science people within your group, and what would you change?
Reaching Optum AI and data science leaders
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.