Mayo Clinic Names Dr. Matthew Callstrom as Next President and CEO
Mayo Clinic has chosen the physician who led its artificial intelligence work to run the entire organization. The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees announced Friday that it has elected Dr. Matthew R. Callstrom as the nonprofit health system’s next president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2027.
Callstrom, a body interventional radiologist who serves as medical director for Mayo Clinic Strategy and the system’s AI program, will succeed Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, who has led Mayo Clinic since January 2019. Farrugia announced in May that he would step down at the end of 2026. He will remain president and CEO through December 31, working closely with Callstrom to ensure a smooth transition.
A 24-year Mayo veteran takes the top job
Callstrom joined Mayo Clinic in 2002 and has spent nearly 25 years there, holding leadership roles across clinical practice, research, strategy, AI and innovation. He sits on Mayo Clinic’s Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, and previously served as interim chief strategy officer and chair of the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
As a physician-scientist, Callstrom is internationally recognized for advancing image-guided cancer treatment, including technologies that more precisely identify and treat cancer. His work has produced more than 200 publications and patents, and he previously served as president of the Society of Interventional Oncology.
“Dr. Callstrom is an accomplished physician-scientist and enterprise leader who brings nearly 25 years of experience at Mayo Clinic and a deep commitment to our values and mission,” said Richard K. Davis, chair of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees. “His leadership across patient care, research, strategy and innovation, combined with his ability to translate scientific discovery and emerging technology into meaningful advances for patients, prepares him exceptionally well to lead Mayo Clinic into its next chapter.”
A Minnesota native, Callstrom earned degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, and earned his medical degree from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
Farrugia’s legacy: an AI-driven strategy
Under Farrugia, Mayo Clinic launched “Bold. Forward.,” its strategy to transform healthcare by accelerating the discovery, translation and delivery of more cures. The strategy also created Mayo Clinic Platform, the system’s first comprehensive, AI-enabled care transformation platform. Callstrom helped shape that strategy and advance the responsible integration of AI into medicine, including efforts to detect disease earlier and give clinicians new capabilities to care for patients with serious and complex conditions.
Callstrom will inherit a system in strong financial shape. Mayo Clinic posted an 8.6% operating margin on $501 million in operating income in the second quarter of 2026, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.
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Why this matters
Mayo Clinic is one of the most influential health systems in the United States, and its choice of leader signals where American healthcare is heading. By elevating the physician who ran its AI program, the board is betting that artificial intelligence — used to spot disease earlier, speed up drug discovery and support doctors treating complex cases — will be central to how the country’s top hospitals deliver care.
The appointment also comes at a moment of strain for American healthcare. Hospitals face rising costs and workforce shortages, while patients face the early arrival of the 2026-27 flu season and a measles outbreak that has now killed two children in Wisconsin.
“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead Mayo Clinic in this moment,” Callstrom said. “Mayo Clinic has always been at its best when we bring the full power of our clinical expertise, science and innovation to the needs of the patient.”
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mayo Clinic’s next president and CEO?
Dr. Matthew R. Callstrom, a body interventional radiologist who has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2002. He currently serves as medical director for Mayo Clinic Strategy and the AI Program and sits on the organization’s Board of Governors and Board of Trustees.
When does Dr. Callstrom take over?
He assumes the role on January 1, 2027. Outgoing president and CEO Dr. Gianrico Farrugia will remain in the job through December 31, 2026, and work with Callstrom on the transition.
Why is Mayo Clinic choosing an AI leader as CEO?
Callstrom led Mayo’s work integrating artificial intelligence into medicine, including the Mayo Clinic Platform, the system’s AI-enabled care transformation platform. The board said his ability to translate scientific discovery and emerging technology into advances for patients prepares him to lead Mayo’s next chapter.
Callstrom’s election puts the physician who built Mayo’s AI strategy in charge of scaling it — a clear sign that the nation’s most famous hospital sees artificial intelligence as the future of patient care.
Sources: Mayo Clinic via PR Newswire; Becker’s Hospital Review; Citybiz
