Bupa CEO Iñaki Ereño ignites workforce for digital health revolution 

TL;DR

• Bupa CEO Iñaki Ereño is leading a digital health revolution for 60 million clients.
• Ereño's "elephant strategy" aims to modernize Bupa with customer feedback and staff unity.
• Technology, like AI and Blua, is key to Bupa's future healthcare delivery and productivity.
• Ereño's leadership is informed by his career journey, triathlon training, and focus on customer and employee performance.

Upon Iñaki Ereño's appointment as Group CEO of Bupa in 2021, the global healthcare sector was undergoing rapid transformation. Leading a company with more than 60 million clients globally, Ereño's task involves reshaping a substantial and long-standing entity into a more responsive, adaptable, and digitally proficient healthcare provider. 

Founded in 1947 with the purpose of helping people live “longer, healthier, happier lives,” Bupa is more than a health insurer: It builds hospitals and dental centers, offers global private medical insurance, and invests heavily in digital health. 

Ereño's objective: to rouse the dormant power. Via what he terms the “elephant strategy,”, the 61-year-old chief executive has aimed to modernize operations, integrate a focus on customer feedback (encompassing 300,000 annual calls from dissatisfied customers), and unite a worldwide staff of approximately 100,000 individuals under one unified strategy. “The elephant is now running and the majority of the people know the elephant is running. We keep reminding everyone: don’t let the elephant go back to sleep,”, he states. 

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Bupa’s rank on Coins2Day 500 Europe

A self-described “fanatic of the digital economy,” Ereño believes technology will define the next era of healthcare. Bupa has accelerated its use of AI and virtual platforms such as Blua, launched initially in Spain, to connect doctors and patients digitally and make consultations faster, smarter, and more personal. 

During a conversation with Coins2Day, Ereño detailed his journey from practicing law to retail management and ultimately to leading a healthcare company. He also shared how his dedication to triathlon training informs his leadership approach and his belief that true productivity in healthcare means not only financial success but also providing superior, more efficient patient care.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Down to business 

Coins2Day: Walk us through your career journey.

Ereño: My legal education led me to quickly decide against a career in law. Consequently, I pursued an MBA and transitioned into the corporate world. I categorize my professional journey into three distinct phases. One phase involved my work as a retailer. Another saw me as an entrepreneur, and my most recent period has been dedicated to the healthcare sector. 

Twenty years ago, I began my career with Bupa in Spain, where the company operates as Sanitas. My journey started as marketing director for Sanitas, eventually leading to my appointment as CEO of Sanitas. In 2012, I took on the role of CEO for a regional division within Bupa. My career path has seen me advance from marketing director of Sanitas to CEO of Sanitas, then CEO of a region, and ultimately Group CEO, marking a significant journey.

What was your role in the digital shift?

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a significant hurdle for every healthcare network. Bupa recognized that its existing healthcare infrastructure lacked sufficient digital capabilities. Healthcare can indeed be transformed through digitization. Having served on Bupa's executive team for a considerable period, my primary objective was to accelerate the business's digital transformation. [Since then] it's been quite a process. 

Post-Covid, we adopted the name “sleeping elephant,” and subsequently developed a strategy named “elephant strategy.”. I recall presenting to the board with a single slide: it depicted an elephant slumbering on the left, awakening in the center, and sprinting on the right, accompanied by a prominent arrow spanning from 2020 to 2024. Our imperative was to awaken.

The elephant is now running, and the majority of the people know that the elephant is running. We keep reminding everyone: Don’t let the elephant go back to sleep.

What are you most proud of in the last five years?

During each presentation, we emphasize the Triangle of Performance. At its apex sits Financial Performance, with Customer Performance and Employee Engagement forming the supporting base. Excellence across all three is essential. 

Customers hold significant importance. Our global presence spans 25 businesses operating under a consistent model. We analyze business performance through micro-movements, and annually, we conduct 300,000 detractor calls to survey customers, asking: “Why don’t you like us?” 

Annually, we assess our progress in enhancing customer experience, a task we approach with utmost gravity. Significant engineering effort and logistical coordination are required to achieve these outcomes. 

Our workforce numbers 100,000 individuals. One might expect that all of them receive health insurance from Bupa, particularly given our affiliation. However, this was not the reality.

Even though it would cost approximately 50 million pounds, it was crucial for our own staff to receive health coverage from Bupa. Within Bupa's framework, all employees are looked after by Bupa. 

We try to find out why we are not good, and work on it. 

Which long-term trend are you most bullish or positive about for society and the economy at the moment?

The digital economy. We [Bupa] started a bit late but we’re catching up very quickly. We’re now fully digitized in all countries. Blua [is an example], which Bupa launched years ago. I like the digital economy and am a fanatic because it will help health.

Considering Europe in contrast to the U.S., how do you believe individuals in leadership positions, like yourself, can tackle the productivity issue?

Bupa and the entire healthcare sector are presently prioritizing expansion. While we [think we] are productive, this isn't our primary concern. Our focus is on enhancing productivity to ensure greater customer satisfaction and improved service delivery, rather than solely concentrating on it, “how can we make more money?”

We’ll be implementing an AI generative project where, instead of taking seven minutes for a doctor to see you [and understand who you are and what your issues are], it will take 30 seconds. So in 30 seconds, a doctor will be able to see you and a consultation that usually happens in maybe 15 minutes will now take only 30 seconds. This is the productivity we care about and is the productivity that has a positive impact on our customers.

Being productive

When do you get up in the morning and what sets up your routine for the day?

I'm not one for much sleep, typically waking at about 6 a.m. To begin reading the news. My routine includes three Spanish papers, the FT, and the Economic Times. After my first coffee and a shower, I head to the office, usually starting meetings by 8 a.m.

Athletics have consistently played a significant role in my existence. I participate in triathlons and typically frequent the gym with my youngest son, who resides with me in London. Our routine involves heading to the gym, visiting the supermarket, purchasing dinner (we often opt for an Amazon Fresh market or Whole Foods), eating, and then retiring for the night. My lifestyle is quite simple, and it suits me well. 

What kind of coffee do you have in the morning?

I have a black coffee in the morning, a double espresso. When I share [my coffee intake] with doctors, they say maybe too much, Iñaki! But I can share this with you. 

I begin with a double espresso, followed by another in the office with a splash of milk, similar to a cortado. Later, post-lunch, I'll have a third cortado. I'm aware it's quite a bit of coffee. 

Do you check back in later in the evening? Are you working over the weekend?

Perhaps I seem a little unsophisticated, but I enjoy my work and my employer. I don't feel a need for detachment. While on vacation, I bring my mobile phone and check my emails. I receive good compensation, my role is significant, and as a large corporation, staying connected is essential. 

Do you have any apps that you use, or any methods that you use to be as productive as possible?

I use [most digital tools], to be honest, but I’m not mega techy. 

Previously, I'd jot down notes using a notebook and pencil, but that's no longer my practice. The reason is that one day I discovered it was consuming too much of my time. I questioned myself, “How many times have you come back to your notes?”, and the answer was none. Consequently, I ceased that habit. My preference now is to be fully present and attentive.

Getting personal

Who is on your personal board and who inspires or motivates you?

I have a coach I connected with several years back. He's 75, exceptionally insightful, and part of my personal advisory group. My Chief Executive Committee includes individuals I frequently reach out to when facing challenges or seeking sound guidance. Additionally, I have team members I can consult. My son and I engage in meaningful discussions. It's essential for all of us to have people who genuinely show concern. 

Do you have a favorite company that you admire and why?

I love Amazon. Whole Foods is also fantastic. 

What is your favorite cuisine to cook and to eat?

Despite my hearty appetite, I'm grateful for my enjoyment of physical activity. I have a broad palate, relishing everything from a substantial steak and flavorful paella to various seafood dishes. Sweet treats and desserts are also among my favorites. My coach instilled in me the importance of self-compassion, a lesson I've embraced over time. If I desire ice cream, I'll savor it without hesitation. 

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