The Cigna Group is the latest insurer to shuffle its top leadership as it aims to turbocharge its growth strategy.
Brian Evanko, the company's chief financial officer and CEO of its Cigna Healthcare arm, will take on the role of president and chief operating officer for the Cigna Group, the company announced Thursday morning. Evanko has served as CFO since 2021 and took the helm at Cigna Healthcare in January 2024.
Evanko's shift to COO will take effect March 31, Cigna said. He has served in roles across Cigna's U.S. and international divisions since 1998, according to the announcement.
Ann Dennison will succeed Evanko as CFO after serving as deputy chief financial officer since last year. Dennison joined Cigna after serving as CFO at Nasdaq.
Cigna Group CEO David Cordani said in a press release that the shift will allow the company to bring its insurance arm and Evernorth under one vision.
"Aligning our Evernorth Health Services and Cigna Healthcare businesses under a single leader will accelerate innovation to enhance how we serve our stakeholders," Cordani said. "Brian's combination of market perspective, deep business acumen, and keen focus on execution and value creation make him uniquely suited to lead the next chapter of our company's growth."
As part of these leadership changes, Evernorth CEO Eric Palmer will depart the company next month, after working in multiple roles at Cigna over more than 25 years, the company said.
"I would like to extend my gratitude to Eric for his leadership, commitment, and many contributions over his tenure at Cigna," Cordani said. "He has left a positive mark on the company and our ability to serve the diverse needs of millions of customers and patients."
In addition, Cigna said that Nicole Jones, the company's general counsel and chief administrative officer, will take control of its enterprise marketing work. This will align marketing strategy with other areas under Jones' purview, such as government affairs, legal and human resources, Cigna said.