GoodRx Appoints Healthcare Industry Veteran, Wendy Barnes, as New Chief Executive Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

GoodRx Holdings (NASDAQ: GDRX) has appointed Wendy Barnes as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Barnes brings over 30 years of healthcare leadership experience, joining from RxBenefits where she served as CEO, managing pharmacy benefit support for more than 2,000 self-insured clients with over three million lives. Previously, she was President of Express Scripts Pharmacy and Group Vice President at Rite Aid.

In her new role, Barnes will focus on advancing GoodRx's strategic initiatives, including expanding brand affordability programs, enhancing product experience with healthcare professionals, and strengthening partnerships with retail pharmacies, insurers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. She succeeds Scott Wagner, who served as Interim CEO.

Positive

• Appointment of experienced healthcare industry veteran with 30+ years of leadership experience
• Strong track record of success at RxBenefits, Express Scripts, and Rite Aid
• Strategic focus on expanding brand affordability programs and partnerships

Negative

• None.

Wendy Barnes, Current CEO of RxBenefits, Brings Extensive Healthcare Management Experience to the Company

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GoodRx Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDRX), the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S., today announced that Wendy Barnes has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Wendy brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the pharmacy and medical benefit industry to her new role.

Wendy Barnes (Photo: Business Wire)

Wendy will join GoodRx following her role as CEO of RxBenefits, where she led the company in providing pharmacy benefit support to more than 2,000 self-insured clients comprised of more than three million lives. Under her guidance, RxBenefits became a leading entity providing tailored pharmacy benefit solutions that promote affordability and transparency. Before that, as President of Express Scripts Pharmacy, Wendy oversaw the service, operation, and financial success of the organization’s multiple pharmacies on behalf of 100 million members. Wendy also served as Group Vice President at Rite Aid, where she was responsible for all aspects of managed care, including contracting, enhancing relationships with managed care organizations, overseeing pharmacy benefit managers and third-party payers, and developing strategic partnerships.

“Wendy is joining GoodRx at a pivotal moment – both for the healthcare industry and for GoodRx. In a world where conventional insurance coverage is increasingly restrictive, and patients and healthcare professionals are bearing increasing costs and time burdens, GoodRx offers a complement to insurance that fills the gaps that existing systems don’t cover and helps Americans save both time and money,” said Scott Wagner, Interim CEO at GoodRx. “Wendy has the expertise, vision, and leadership to help GoodRx grow in unique and valuable ways, both for our customers and as a business. I’m excited for Wendy and I’m particularly excited for GoodRx.”

Wendy's career highlights include her effective leadership roles at RxBenefits, Express Scripts, Rite Aid and Pfizer, leading extensive pharmacy operations and simplifying and improving patient healthcare experiences. Wendy also served for 10 years as a Medical Service Corps Officer in the United States Air Force.

"I am thrilled to join GoodRx and contribute to its mission of making healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans," said Wendy Barnes, the newly appointed President and CEO of GoodRx. "With the evolving challenges in healthcare delivery and management, I look forward to working with our talented executive leadership team to foster growth and innovation at GoodRx and within the industry. We have a tremendous opportunity to free Americans from friction in getting medication.”

In her role as CEO, Wendy will focus on advancing GoodRx’s strategic initiatives, with particular attention on bringing all brand affordability programs onto the GoodRx platform, expanding GoodRx’s product experience with healthcare professionals, and enriching partnerships with retail pharmacies, insurers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to help save Americans time and money. Driven by a steadfast commitment to making healthcare more accessible and affordable, Wendy aims to build a better patient experience and help fill gaps within the existing system.

“As we embark on this transition, I want to thank Scott for his hard work and huge impact over the last year and a half as our Interim CEO. His leadership and deep business expertise has been felt both inside and outside the walls of GoodRx,” said Trevor Bezdek, Co-founder and Chairman of GoodRx. “As we look ahead to the next phase of growth, I’m confident and enthusiastic that Wendy’s experience and dedication to improving patient lives will drive GoodRx’s mission forward.”

About GoodRx

GoodRx is the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S. Trusted by more than 25 million consumers and 750,000 healthcare professionals annually, GoodRx provides access to savings and affordability options for generic and brand-name medications at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, as well as comprehensive healthcare research and information. Since 2011, GoodRx has helped consumers save over $75 billion on the cost of their prescriptions.

GoodRx periodically posts information that may be important to investors on its investor relations website at https://investors.goodrx.com. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult GoodRx’s website regularly for important information, in addition to following GoodRx’s press releases, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and public conference calls and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, GoodRx’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated consumer savings, convenience and accessibility; the new CEO appointment and related benefits and values; and our plans, expectations and objectives. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks relating to our ability to achieve broad market education and change consumer purchasing habits; changes in medication pricing and pricing structures; our reliance on a limited number of industry participants; and the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our other filings with the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, projections and estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en/

press@goodrx.com

Source: GoodRx Holdings, Inc.

FAQ

When will Wendy Barnes start as CEO of GoodRx (GDRX)?

Wendy Barnes will assume the role of President and CEO of GoodRx effective January 1, 2025.

What is Wendy Barnes' previous experience before joining GoodRx (GDRX)?

Barnes was CEO of RxBenefits, President of Express Scripts Pharmacy, and Group Vice President at Rite Aid, with over 30 years of healthcare leadership experience.

What are the main strategic initiatives Wendy Barnes will focus on at GoodRx (GDRX)?

Barnes will focus on bringing brand affordability programs onto the GoodRx platform, expanding product experience with healthcare professionals, and enhancing partnerships with retail pharmacies, insurers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

How many consumers and healthcare professionals use GoodRx (GDRX) annually?

GoodRx is trusted by more than 25 million consumers and 750,000 healthcare professionals annually.

How much have consumers saved through GoodRx (GDRX) since 2011?

Since 2011, GoodRx has helped consumers save over $75 billion on prescription costs.