Dr. Héctor Upegui

Based in Munich, Hector has developed an international profile as a subject matter expert through his work in the healthcare and social sector. His career with an experience of 25 years as a physician in social security fields combines medical aspects with social policy making, as well as operational and management levels, with special emphasis on Integrated Care and Disability Management.

Within IBM Hector holds worldwide responsibility for research, strategy and market development in Watson Health for Integrated Care as well as in the IBM Health and Human Services Research Institute for Disability management and integrated care. He is responsible for strategic initiatives, identifying new and innovative best practices, developing them into business models and then promoting their success and usage around the world. Hector also provides advice to government and non-government organisations on how these trends provide opportunities for service delivery transformation and business improvement.

Previous to this position he joined the Workers’ Compensation Unit of Munich Reinsurance Company in 2001 in Munich Germany, where for 13 years he was worldwide responsible for analysing and benchmarking workers' compensation (occupational accidents and occupational diseases insurance) primary markets, as well as for providing analysis regarding its interaction with other lines of social security, social services, casualty lines of commercial insurance and health insurance.

Having studied medicine at University CES, Hector holds a European Master’s degree in Social Security from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He is a Postgraduate in Project Management and Postgraduate in Occupational Safety and Health Management. He is also visiting professor for the University CES and lecturer at the International Training Centre of the International Labour Office (ILO).

He’s author, co-author or contributor in different papers and publications. Recently published ”Government health and human services: Visions, values, and strategies for the future”. Some of the other titles: “Disability management: Trends and emerging strategies”, "Future Challenges in Workers Compensation Insurance". "Covering just simple risks? Residual markets and uninsured risks in workers’ compensation systems". "Economic incentives: A reflection on workers’ compensation systems"; "Occupational diseases are they insurable?", "Assessing disability: An international comparison of workers’ compensation systems. Hector is member of the European Institute of Social Security and of the InternationalCommission on Occupational Health.