Neal Sample is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., serving as a member of the Executive Committee and IT Governance Committee. He leads the strategy for WBA’s IT function and the implementation of its technology and digital innovation, with an emphasis on improving the digital experience for customers and patients. Sample joined the company in October of 2023, bringing more than 20 years of deep experience across highly regulated industries including healthcare, financial services and consumer internet.
He was previously Chief Information Officer for Northwestern Mutual, where he rebuilt, optimized and centralized the technology function for the company, raised internal and external technology metrics and implemented several automated and self-service capabilities for clients.
Prior, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer of Express Scripts, where he streamlined operations, accelerated growth, improved key operating metrics, launched a new product line, led the architecture and platform delivery of complex information systems for nearly 30,000 employees and 80 million patients nationwide, retired legacy mainframe applications and transitioned the organization to the cloud.
He also held several roles within the Enterprise Growth Business at American Express including EVP, Chief Marketing Technologist, and CIO, before being named President. While there, he pioneered product launches focused on digital banking alternatives for lower-income individuals, improved EBITDA, led the spin-off and wind-down of non-core businesses, and launched major new digital co-branded products with key industry players.
Sample previously held roles at eBay, Yahoo! Inc. and RightOrder, Inc.
Sample holds more than a dozen patents and is the author of various published works. He serves as Chairman of the Board at Wellfield Technologies, Inc., as well as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Missouri.
He earned his Doctorate and Master of Science in Computer Science from Stanford University and his Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Wyoming.