Nathan Hubbard

Current Position

Title: Chief Executive Officer Company: Flatiron Health Location: San Francisco Bay Area (based on prior professional affiliations)

Professional Background

Nathan Hubbard is a seasoned healthcare and technology executive with over 20 years of leadership experience spanning biopharma, life sciences, data-driven businesses, and entertainment technology. He was appointed CEO of Flatiron Health in August 2025, succeeding Carolyn Starrett, and brings deep expertise in commercial strategy, operational excellence, and organizational scaling across global markets.

Prior to his CEO role, Hubbard spent five years at Flatiron Health building its international business from the ground up, establishing strategic partnerships with leading biopharma companies, and shaping the company's long-term strategic vision. Before joining Flatiron, he held leadership positions across major healthcare organizations including Roche, where he served as Global Head of Healthcare Ecosystems, establishing personalized healthcare collaborations across 10+ countries. He also worked at Genentech (Roche subsidiary) for over 13 years in various business development and partnership roles, including Director of Data and Digital Partnering and Global Head of Diagnostics Partnering.

His background encompasses pharmaceutical companies (Eli Lilly, Adicet Bio) and digital commerce leadership at companies including Live Nation/Ticketmaster, Twitter, and his own ventures (Rival, Firebird Music Holdings). This diverse experience positions him uniquely to understand both the biopharma landscape and the technology and data infrastructure required to accelerate cancer research and improve patient outcomes.

Career Timeline

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Princeton University (1997, summa cum laude)
• MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business (2004)

Public Presence

Social Media

Note: Only publicly accessible profiles are documented.

Published Writings

• "The most creative person in the music business on what to expect in 2024" — Fast Company (2024)
• Regular podcast commentary and industry insights through The Ringer's Every Single Album podcast (2021-present)
• Trapital interview: "Building Businesses Around Artists with Firebird Music CEO Nathan Hubbard" (2023)
• Opinion/commentary pieces on X/Twitter regarding entertainment, music, technology, and business strategy

Public Speaking

• MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference speaker
• Trapital Summit panelist: "Building Businesses Around Artists" and Taylor Swift business strategy discussion
• Podcast appearances and interviews on music industry and business leadership topics

Communication Style

Tone: Professional yet accessible; balanced between visionary and pragmatic; entrepreneurial and forward-thinking with grounding in operational excellence.

Recurring themes: Artist/creator empowerment and direct fan relationships; cross-sector business innovation and partnerships; leveraging technology and data to solve business problems; the intersection of commerce, culture, and technology; scaling global operations while maintaining core brand identity.

Notable positions: Strong advocate for artist ownership and direct-to-consumer relationships in the music industry; technology skepticism balanced with pragmatic adoption (e.g., his public commentary on Twitter's commerce policy changes); emphasis on company culture and team continuity during leadership transitions.

Nathan Hubbard communicates with the confidence of an operator who has successfully built and sold companies while maintaining an intellectual curiosity about emerging technologies and markets. His public communications prioritize mission alignment and long-term strategic thinking over short-term metrics. In the Flatiron CEO announcement, he emphasized continuity, patient outcomes, and leveraging his biopharma expertise to advance the company's mission—signaling a steady leadership approach rather than radical change. His podcast work demonstrates his ability to engage with complex topics (artist discographies, music industry dynamics) in an accessible, conversational manner. On social media, he mixes industry commentary with cultural observations, often using his platform to address substantive business topics like market dynamics and technology policy. His leadership philosophy appears centered on building sustainable businesses around core constituencies (artists, patients, partners) rather than extracting short-term value.

Notable Achievements

• Appointed CEO of Flatiron Health in August 2025, leading a Roche subsidiary focused on oncology data and research
• Named to Billboard Power 100 (#14 Multisector) alongside Firebird co-founder Nat Zilkha in 2025
• Recognized as "the most creative person in the music business" by Fast Company (2024)
• Successfully scaled Firebird Music Holdings from startup to managing 1,000+ artists globally in just 3 years
• Built Flatiron Health's international business from ground up, establishing partnerships across 10+ biopharma companies
• Sold ticketing startup Rival to Ticketmaster in 2020 following DOJ approval
• Founded and led Musictoday (2002-2006) through acquisition by Live Nation/Ticketmaster
• 13+ years at Genentech in progressive business development and partnership roles
• Hosted Every Single Album podcast with 49th ranking on Spotify music podcasts (2024)

Key Relationships

• Thomas Schinecker: CEO of Roche (parent company, publicly endorsed Hubbard's appointment)
• Carolyn Starrett: Former CEO Flatiron Health, now Senior Advisor (smooth leadership transition)
• Nat Zilkha: College roommate, co-founder Firebird Music Holdings, Chairman of Gibson Brands
• Nora Princiotti: Co-host, Every Single Album podcast; ongoing professional collaboration
• Joe House: Co-host, Fairway Rollin' golf podcast
• Board of Directors: Gibson Brands (music/entertainment sector representation)
• Industry partnerships: Extensive network across biopharma (Roche, Genentech, Eli Lilly, Adicet Bio)