Sam Khalil is a healthcare leader and digital innovator with over 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, now co-founder and Managing Director of ekona, a Swiss AI engineering boutique launched in 2025. Drawing on a career spanning technology, clinical development, and business strategy, Sam helps organizations harness AI and data to solve complex challenges and accelerate innovation. Before co-founding ekona, Sam served as Vice President and Head of the FounData AI platform at Novo Nordisk, where he led the development of advanced AI-powered systems to transform clinical data into actionable insights. Prior to that, at Novartis, he spearheaded the creation of data42, one of the industry’s first platforms providing enterprise-wide access to curated data from over 2,900 clinical trials. His earlier roles involved launching blockbuster drugs, leading global medical affairs teams and managing large-scale preclinical and clinical research programs. Sam is also a strong advocate for responsible AI, with deep experience designing ethical, transparent, and scalable AI systems for healthcare.