Mercer appoints Edward Lehman as US Health leader

Mercer – a health, wealth, and career consulting firm – has appointed Edward Lehman as the leader of its health business in the United States. He brings more than two decades of healthcare industry and consulting experience to Mercer. Lehman will report to Louis Gagnon, president for US & Canada, and will remain based in Los Angeles.

In the role, Lehman will lead the US health team, helping clients optimize their employees’ health and wellbeing. Mercer’s health business helps organizations provide competitive employee benefits, control medical costs and risks, and simplify program delivery.

Lehman will succeed Sharon Cunninghis in the role on January 2, 2020. Cunninghis is retiring next year, following a 32-year career with Mercer.

“Mercer’s US Health business is a critical element of our global health value proposition for clients,” said Hervé Balzano, president of health at Mercer. “I look forward to tapping into Ed’s strategic insights as we continue to grow off of the foundation that Sharon helped to build.”

Lehman joins Mercer from Magellan Health, a Phoenix-based managed healthcare company, where he spent three years as SVP and profit & loss owner for the health plan segment. In the role, he developed the segment’s strategic and operating plans, sales strategy, product development, marketing, and budgets.

Before that he spent two years at health tech startup Grand Rounds, a company which connects patients with local and remote specialty care. Lehman served as SVP of national accounts client management and channel partnerships, and before that was SVP of sales.

He also spent four years at health insurance company CIGNA Healthcare, where he was SVP and national sales leader, and five-and-a-half years at managed care company Aetna, where he was latterly head of sales for national accounts.

Earlier in his career, Lehman spent eight years at Watson Wyatt (now Willis Towers Watson), rising to the position of West Division health care practice leader. He started his career as a consulting intern at Mercer, so his return marks a homecoming of sorts.

Lehman has an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BS in public affairs from Indiana University.

“We are very pleased to welcome Ed to Mercer as the leader of our US Health business,” Louis Gagnon, Mercer's president for US and Canada, said. “His deep and diverse industry knowledge and proven track record of strong client relationships, dynamic leadership, and business growth will contribute significantly to our clients’ ability to offer innovative and engaging health plans.”

Last month, Mercer Digital appointed a new leader for the East US and Canada markets, placing IT consulting veteran Leo Watt in the role.