WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health announced on Monday that Karen Lynch has assumed the position of president and chief executive officer at the company. In her new role, she will lead nearly 300,000 colleagues who are passionate about transforming health care to be simpler, more convenient and more personalized.

Karen Lynch

As previously announced, Lynch is replacing Larry Merlo, who will be retiring. Merlo began his career with the company as a community pharmacist more than 40 years ago and served as president and CEO for a decade. Merlo will continue to serve on CVS Health’s board of directors until the company’s next Annual Meeting of Stockholders in May 2021, and as strategic advisor to assist with the transition until his retirement on May 31.

She has more than three decades of experience in the health care industry. Prior to becoming CEO, she was executive vice president, CVS Health and president of Aetna, responsible for driving the strategy to deliver consumer-focused, high-value health care to the millions of people Aetna serves. For the last five years, she has been named among Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business, and in 2020, she was recognized on Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Lynch will focus on accelerating the progress we’ve made to meet the evolving health needs of consumers. Under her leadership, CVS Health will create even more connected experiences across our unique combination of assets — including more than 9,900 pharmacies and over 1,000 MinuteClinic and HealthHUB locations — for every meaningful moment of health in a person’s lifetime. Her most immediate priorities include leading our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, improving the health of communities across the country, and driving meaningful social and policy change.

“CVS Health has become a part of the day-to-day life of many Americans. We take this responsibility seriously and know that you depend on us for many of your everyday needs, including your health care. As the new President and CEO, I’m energized by the opportunity to lead CVS Health and reimagine health care in this country,” Lynch wrote in a recent LinkedIn post.

“As one of the most trusted brands in America, we are uniquely positioned to support you during every meaningful moment of health throughout your lifetime. We have built a company with diverse health products and services that are unmatched in the marketplace. We are national in scale, located within three miles of most Americans. We are improving access to affordable health care and working to create a system that will help you wherever you are – in the community, in the home, and digitally – with solutions that connect and simplify your health experiences.

We understand the responsibility that we have to improve health care for the millions of people who depend on us. We have everything we need to achieve this aspiration, including a deep understanding that the people we serve are not just customers. They are our friends, our families, our neighbors, and our colleagues, and we want to be a bigger part of their everyday health.

I’m grateful to be joined by nearly 300,000 colleagues who are dedicated to our mission: to transform the way health care is delivered in this country. This is our commitment and I’m excited about the journey ahead to make it a reality,” she added.