Japan Mehta
Chief Information Officer at HUM
Executive
About Japan Mehta
Japan A. Mehta is Humana’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), appointed in December 2024 with the role effective in the first quarter of 2025; he is 44 years old and a Section 16 executive officer . He oversees digital and technology, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data, and AI, setting the technology transformation vision to connect consumers and caregivers and enable better clinical decision making . Mehta previously served as Chief Data Officer at Citi (2018–2025), CIO for Citi Global Wealth, and CIO roles for Global Consumer Technology in APAC and Europe; prior leadership posts include JPMorgan, Barclays, and Verizon; he holds a BE in Electronics & Communication (Gujarat University, Dharamsinh Desai Institute of Technology) and an MS in Industrial Engineering (University of Wisconsin), with 35 patents across tech domains . Company performance context underpins his mandate: Humana delivered 2024 Adjusted EPS of $16.21, returned $1.22B to shareholders via dividends and buybacks, grew individual MA membership by ~250,000 (+5%), and scaled CenterWell primary care to 344 centers serving ~390,500 patients (+33% YoY) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup | Chief Data Officer | 2018–2025 | Led enterprise data quality and governance transformation across Citi . |
| Citigroup | CIO, Citi Global Wealth | Prior to 2018 | Technology leadership across wealth client segments; platform modernization . |
| Citigroup | CIO, Global Consumer Technology (APAC, Europe) | Prior to 2018 | Regional CIO roles for consumer tech across APAC and Europe; large-scale systems oversight . |
| JPMorgan | Technology/Digital Leadership | Prior | Senior tech leadership positions in financial services . |
| Barclays | Technology/Digital Leadership | Prior | Digital platform leadership in banking . |
| Verizon | Technology/Digital Leadership | Prior | Telecom systems and digital product leadership . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public company board or external governance roles disclosed for Mehta . |
Fixed Compensation
- Specific base salary and target bonus for Japan Mehta are not disclosed in Humana’s 2025 proxy or 8-Ks; Humana’s executive program uses market-based base salary reviewed annually by the Organization & Compensation Committee .
- Stock ownership guidelines require 7x base salary for CEO and 3x base salary for other executive officers; compliance monitored by the Committee .
Performance Compensation
Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – Design and 2024 Results (Program-Level)
| Metric | Weighting | Target/Threshold/Max | Actual | Performance Rate | Plan Weighting Applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EPS | 50% | Target $16.00; Max $20.00 | $16.21 | 105.3% | 52.6% . |
| Individual MA Membership Growth | 20% | 400k/525k/650k | 250k | 0% | 0% . |
| Integrated Health | 15% | 125k/132.5k/140k | 133,100 | 108.0% | 16.2% . |
| Strategic Measures | 15% | 0%/15%/30% | — | 174.5% | 26.2% . |
| Final Plan Funding | — | — | — | — | 95% of target payout . |
Notes:
- 2024 AIP gate: no payout unless Adjusted EPS ≥ $16.00; non-financial measures capped at target if EPS at/below target .
- AIP metrics align to MA profitability, integrated health engagement, and strategic efficiency/innovation .
Long-Term Incentives (LTI) – Equity Mix and 2024 PSU Structure (Program-Level)
| Component | Weight | Vesting | Key Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Stock Units (PSUs) | 50% (modified in 2024) | Vest at 3rd anniversary | 2024–2026 PSU: 30% 2024 Adjusted EPS (one-year measured, 3-year vest), 70% Strategic Measures (Integrated Health; Clinical Innovation), rTSR modifier ±20% vs peer group, capped at 200% . |
| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | 25% | Time-based; annual 1/3 over 3 years | Promotes retention and ownership . |
| Stock Options (ISO/NQ) | 25% | Typically annual tranches over 3 years | Aligns to long-term value creation via stock price appreciation . |
2025 PSU direction: returned to a three-year relative TSR financial measure (2025–2027) plus operational/strategic measures for Star Ratings recovery and productivity, directly tied to financial performance .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial Grant | 5,046 RSUs awarded on 02/13/2025 under Humana’s 2019 Amended & Restated Plan; contingent right to one share per RSU; grant exempt under Rule 16b-3 . |
| Beneficial Ownership | Not disclosed in proxy tables; Mehta was not an NEO or director for 2024; Form 4 shows RSU holdings . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for all associates and directors (short sales, derivatives, margin/pledge accounts) . |
| Pledged Shares Status | As of March 1, 2025, no shares are pledged by executive officers or directors . |
| Ownership Guidelines | 3x base salary for executive officers (7x for CEO); ongoing compliance monitored . |
| Insider Activity | No insider sales reported for Mehta as of initial filing; Form 4 reflects award, not sale . |
Typical vesting conventions:
- RSUs: time-based, vest in equal annual installments over three years .
- PSUs: vest on third anniversary subject to performance; unvested PSUs vest at target upon qualifying double-trigger CIC termination .
Employment Terms
| Provision | Terms (Program/Policy-Level) |
|---|---|
| Start date / Role | Announced December 2024; CIO effective Q1 2025 . |
| Severance Policy | NEOs: CEO—24 months base + target bonus; Other NEOs—18 months base salary; restrictive covenants (non-compete, non-solicit, non-disparagement) during severance period . |
| Change-in-Control (CIC) | Double-trigger. CEO: 30 months base + target bonus; Other NEOs: 24 months base + target bonus; continued benefits for 18 months; options become exercisable; RSUs and PSUs vest (PSUs at target) . |
| Clawback | Compensation recoupment policy complying with SEC/NYSE 10D/303A.14; mandatory recovery for certain restatements and improper conduct; applies to all incentive compensation; filed with 10-K . |
| Anti-Hedging/Pledging | Prohibits hedging, short sales, derivative transactions, margin/pledge accounts . |
| Equity Grant Policy | Grants not timed around MNPI; avoids blackout and SEC filing windows; grants made following Committee approval and after windows clear . |
| Tax Gross-ups | No tax gross-ups provided to NEOs/executives . |
Investment Implications
- Retention and alignment: Initial RSU grant (5,046) and standard three-year vesting, combined with 3x salary ownership guidelines, clawbacks, and anti-hedging/pledging, point to strong alignment and reduced short-term selling pressure from Mehta specifically .
- Execution levers: Mehta’s deep data/technology background (Citi CDO; prior CIO roles) and patent portfolio align with Humana’s strategic needs amid a complex MA environment, Stars recovery, and CenterWell scaling—key drivers of margin expansion and integrated care outcomes cited by management .
- Pay-for-performance nexus: Executive incentives emphasize Adjusted EPS, integrated health engagement, strategic measures, and rTSR—tying technology modernization and member/provider experience improvements to payout outcomes over 1–3 years; CIO execution on data, AI, and cyber is central to achieving these metrics .
- Watch items: No disclosed individual compensation details (base/bonus) for Mehta yet; monitor future proxy and Section 16 filings for additional awards and any 10b5-1 plans; enterprise-level targets (AIP/PSU) hinge on MA margin trajectory and Stars cut points, indicating technology-enabled operational excellence will be critical in 2025–2027 .