Anthropic Names Vas Narasimhan, Former Novartis CEO, to Advisory Board

Anthropic Appoints Vas Narasimhan to Board of Directors

On Tuesday, AI startup Anthropic announced the appointment of Vas Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer of Novartis, to its board of directors. Narasimhan is the first executive from the pharmaceutical industry to join the company's governing body.

Narasimhan joins a distinguished group of directors, including Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, Jay Kreps, Reed Hastings, and Chris Liddell. This marks the second new board addition in recent months, following the appointment of Chris Liddell in February.

Narasimhan was appointed to Anthropic's board by the Anthropic Long-Term Benefit Trust, an independent body whose members have no financial stake in the company. The Trust exists to ensure responsible governance and balance between financial success and the company's public benefit mission.

| Director | Background | | --- | --- | | Vas Narasimhan | Physician-scientist, CEO of Novartis | | Dario Amodei | Co-founder and President of Anthropic | | Daniela Amodei | Co-founder and President of Anthropic | | Jay Kreps | | | Reed Hastings | | | Chris Liddell | |

As a physician-scientist and CEO of Novartis, Narasimhan has a deep understanding of the potential of AI to improve human life. He has overseen the development and approval of more than 35 novel medicines for the benefit of patients around the world.

The Anthropic Long-Term Benefit Trust is responsible for appointing directors who ensure the company responsibly balances its commitment to stockholders and its public benefit mission. With Narasimhan's appointment, Trust-appointed directors now make up a majority of the Board.

As a member of the Board, Narasimhan will bring his expertise in developing and approving medicines to the table. He is excited to contribute to Anthropic's mission and help shape the future of AI development.

Narasimhan's background in medicine and global health has given him a unique perspective on the transformative potential of technology. He has worked on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis programmes in India, Africa, and South America, and continues to champion access and global health priorities.

Anthropic is reportedly weighing an initial public offering that could take place as early as this year. Narasimhan's appointment is a significant development in the company's growth and expansion.