April 14, 2026 - Vitea announced today the appointment of Murali Naidu, MD, an accomplished healthcare executive, operator, and former Chief Clinical Officer at Sentara and former CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center, as the company’s new Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Dr. Naidu joins Vitea with a proven record of transforming hospitals through strategic growth, clinical expansion, and a deep commitment to patient‑centered care. During his tenure as CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center, he brought significant experience in leading hospitals through growth and transformation, strengthening services, and improving clinical quality across multiple organizations.
Prior to his tenure at San Ramon Regional, Dr. Naidu served as CEO of Emanuel Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Manteca, where he successfully guided teams through the challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic, exceeded budget expectations, expanded advanced clinical programs, and executed long‑term strategic plans to improve access and outcomes for the communities they served.
“I am excited to join Vitea and be part of the team that is leading the conversation on healthcare AI governance. I have seen AI implemented within health systems and while it’s a great and powerful tool that drives real benefits, there is also an increased risk with this evolving technology,” said Murali Naidu, MD. “Vitea’s AI governance platform for hospitals empowers confident and safe innovation with AI technology and is critical for health systems to protect their patients, data and their system. I’m thrilled to be a part of this innovative company.”
A laparoscopic surgeon by training, Dr. Naidu brings a distinguished clinical background that continues to shape his leadership philosophy. His experience as a practicing physician ensures that operational and strategic decisions keep patients and frontline caregivers at the center: an approach closely aligned with the Vitea mission.
In addition to his executive roles, Dr. Naidu has held leadership positions in healthcare system planning, clinical operations, and strategy across organizations including:
He currently contributes to regional and statewide healthcare leadership, serving as chair of the Hospital Council of Northern & Central California and as a trustee at the California Hospital Association.
In his role as CMO, Dr. Naidu will help Vitea and its health system clients think beyond compliance, shaping AI governance strategies built around how clinical organizations actually operate, where the real risks live, and what sustainable AI adoption looks like at scale from a care delivery standpoint. His appointment marks a meaningful step in Vitea's mission to make AI governance something health systems can trust, not just implement.
“You don't govern AI in health systems from the outside. You need someone who's lived inside the mission, run the P&L, built the teams, felt the weight of those decisions,” said Shantanu Nigam, CEO of Vitea. “With Dr. Naidu, a former health system CEO now serving as our Chief Medical Officer, we're bringing real clinical leadership into AI governance, not just better technology, but a genuine commitment to better outcomes for patients and the health systems that serve them."
Health system leaders aren't looking for another vendor, they're looking for a peer. As AI becomes a boardroom risk conversation, Vitea's Chief Medical Officer brings exactly that: clinical accountability, regulatory fluency, and the understanding that in healthcare, the stakes aren't measured in efficiency gains, they're measured in patient lives.
Follow Murali Naidu, MD on LinkedIn for insights from a former hospital CEO. For the latest insights on AI governance in healthcare, follow Vitea.
