Best Buy names Deborah DiSanzo top healthcare exec

Best Buy named a veteran of IBM Watson and Philips Healthcare to lead its healthcare division.

During the second quarter earnings call on Aug. 25, Best Buy CEO Corie Barry announced the company hired Deborah DiSanzo as its new president of Best Buy Health. Ms. DiSanzo, a 30-year veteran of the health IT space, will begin her new role in September.

Ms. DiSanzo previously launched artificial intelligence products for healthcare providers and stakeholders while serving in leadership roles with IBM Watson Health. She also served as CEO of Philips Healthcare, and during her tenure the company brought consumer-grade automatic defibrillators to the market.

"She is a recognized thought leader in artificial intelligence and big data, has deep experience in running businesses known for their innovation in healthcare and has demonstrated ability to drive growth both organically and through acquisition," said Ms. Barry. "We are excited to have her lead our strategic work to bring health technology into the home to help people live better, safer and more independent lives."

Ms. DiSanzo succeeds Asheesh Saksena as president of Best Buy Health. Mr. Saksena stepped down from the role in early August but is still a strategic advisor to Ms. Barry.

Ms. Barry said during the call that the company's technology division will focus on digital health to ensure seniors are able to live more independently as telehealth becomes more mainstream. "We continue to expand our assortment of health-related products, and looking forward, see this as an area of technology innovation we are uniquely well suited to help customers navigate," she said.

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