K. Ranga Krishnan, MBBS
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMSAbout K. Ranga Krishnan, MBBS
Independent director of Community Health Systems, Inc. since 2017; age 68; professor of psychiatry at Rush Medical College; former CEO of Rush University System for Health (2019–2022) and executive vice chairman/senior advisor (2023–2024); previously dean of Rush Medical College (2015–2019) and Duke-NUS Medical School (2008–2015). Member of the National Academy of Medicine; widely recognized for leadership in academic medicine and hospital administration, bringing expertise in compliance within complex healthcare regulatory environments.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University System for Health | Chief Executive Officer | 2019–2022 | Led large academic health system; experience in physician practice management and regulatory compliance. |
| Rush University System for Health | Executive Vice Chairman & Senior Advisor | 2023–2024 | Senior strategic advisor post-CEO tenure. |
| Rush Medical College | Dean | 2015–2019 | Academic leadership; oversight of medical education and clinical integration. |
| Duke-NUS Medical School (Singapore) | Dean | 2008–2015 | Built joint medical program; deep exposure to international health systems. |
| Duke University Medical Center | Chair, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences | 1998–2009 | Department leadership; clinical quality oversight. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) | Board Member | 2013–2022 | Governance at Singapore’s largest healthcare system. |
| National Medical Research Council (Singapore) | Chairman | Current | National research oversight. |
| National Health Innovation Center Singapore | Chairman | Current | Health innovation funding and translation. |
| Health & Biomedical Science Executive Committee (Singapore) | Member | Current | National science policy input. |
| Professional Societies | Member (APA, AAAS, NAM) | Ongoing | Peer recognition and professional standards. |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Governance & Nominating Committee (member); not a committee chair.
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined he is independent under NYSE and company guidelines.
- Tenure and service: Director since 2017; nominated for one-year term expiring at 2026 annual meeting.
- Attendance: Board reported approximately 99% attendance across Board and committee meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of meetings; non-management directors held 10 executive sessions in 2024, with independent-only executive session at least annually.
- Governance features relevant to investors: Robust Lead Independent Director role; separate Chair/CEO mandated through 2029 via derivative settlement; prohibition on hedging/pledging; equity ownership guidelines for directors; committee charters reviewed annually.
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $130,000 | Paid quarterly; no meeting fees. |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Not a chair. |
| Lead director/board chair stipends | $0 | Applies to other directors (not Krishnan). |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant (2024) | Grant Date | Units | Grant-Date Fair Value (USD) | Vesting | Deferral Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time-based RSUs | Mar 1, 2024 | 62,718 | $180,000 (at $2.87/share) | 1/3 annually over 3 years | Elected to defer receipt of shares on vesting |
- Director equity is time-based and not tied to performance metrics (distinct from executive PSUs/options).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company directorships: None disclosed.
- Prior public company boards: None disclosed for Krishnan; service on SingHealth board (non-U.S. public listing context).
- Compensation Committee interlocks/insider participation: Company disclosed none requiring SEC interlock disclosure in 2024.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical and academic leadership (department chair; dean at two medical schools; health system CEO) supports oversight of quality, compliance, and physician alignment.
- International healthcare governance (Singapore national committees and SingHealth board) enhances perspective on cost, innovation, and regulatory trends.
- Recognitions include Distinguished Scientist Award (AAGP) and Singapore national honors (Honorary Citizen; President’s Science and Technology Award; Public Service Medal).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares | 109,143 shares; <1% of outstanding | Based on 140,391,581 shares outstanding. |
| RSUs outstanding (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 163,447 units | Includes prior deferrals of share delivery upon vesting. |
| Directors’ Fees Deferral Plan stock units | 69,653.389 units | Convertible to shares per plan terms. |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited by policy (directors/officers). | |
| Ownership guidelines | 5.0x annual cash stipend ($650,000 value target); must retain net shares until met. |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; deep hospital/academic administration experience relevant to CYH’s regulated operations; active on Governance & Nominating Committee; strong board processes (executive sessions, charters, separation of Chair/CEO) support oversight.
- Alignment: Receives balanced cash/equity director pay ($130,000 cash; $180,000 RSUs with multi-year vesting) and has meaningful deferred and unvested equity exposure, promoting long-term orientation.
- Attendance/engagement: Board-level attendance ~99% and recurring executive sessions suggest robust engagement across directors.
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-party transactions disclosed for Krishnan; company applies formal related-party review through Audit & Compliance.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed (no pledging/hedging; no insider interlocks; director equity structured with time-based vesting only).