Paul Sanford

Paul Sanford is a seasoned transformation leader known for shaping visionary strategies and multiyear operating plans for large-scale organizations. Over his career, he has led complex organizational shifts—both organically and through M&A—including platform conversions and enterprise-wide operating model redesigns.

As Executive Vice President of Operations at The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), Sanford spearheaded enterprise transformation, building a $2B, 34,000-person shared services operation spanning health plan, pharmacy, and PBM functions—boosting operational resilience, enhancing customer experience, and delivering $100M in savings. He was a key driver behind Cigna’s $60B acquisition and its successful integration, which quadrupled revenue and doubled the workforce within two years.

A trusted advisor to boards and C-suites, Sanford has guided strategy across governance, technology, talent, and service delivery—serving as a bridge between innovation and execution. He also pioneered a new Agile-based product development lifecycle that cut cycle time by 25% and costs by 10%.

Earlier, he held leadership roles at Prudential Healthcare, Aetna, and Scripps Health. He holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a BA in Economics from SUNY Stony Brook. Sanford has served on the boards of the Cigna Foundation, was a member of the executive committee at The Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) and currently also serves on the board of directors’ finance and executive committees for the Centers for Independent Living.