Thermo Fisher Scientific provides products and services that support the life sciences industry, including large pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, government agencies and academic institutions. It generates more than $40 billion in revenue annually in so doing.
“Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer,” noted Ryan Snyder, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Customer success is our success.”
Snyder has been with Thermo Fisher Scientific for over two decades, first joining the company through Life Technologies, which Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired in 2013. Since taking on the CIO role in 2019, he has led the company’s digital transformation efforts, embedding technology into the business strategy.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work across various business units within the organization, and each experience has shaped how I approach digital transformation,” said Snyder. “Technology is evolving rapidly, and our role as IT leaders is to ensure that it aligns seamlessly with our business objectives.”
Integrating Technology with Business Strategy
Snyder is a strong advocate of merging technology strategy with business strategy. He believes that technology should not exist in isolation but rather as an enabler that drives business value.
“If IT takes too much ownership of technology, it can turn into a siloed initiative; a science experiment in the back corner,” he explained. “On the other hand, if it’s entirely business-driven without IT alignment, you end up with ‘shadow IT.’ Our goal is to embed technology leaders within each business unit so they can translate business needs into tech-driven solutions.”
This collaborative approach ensures that technology investments deliver tangible benefits, whether through efficiency improvements, enhanced customer experiences, or new product innovations.
The Role of Data and AI in Digital Strategy
Artificial intelligence and data analytics play a crucial role in Thermo Fisher Scientific’s strategy. However, Snyder emphasized that AI should not be seen as a standalone IT initiative but rather as a collaborative effort between business leaders and technology teams.
“The mistake some organizations make is expecting IT to clean up and manage all the data,” he said. “In reality, business leaders must be actively involved because they understand the context of what good data means.”
To streamline AI efforts, Thermo Fisher has brought together automation, AI and data teams under one leader, creating a shared service that supports all divisions. This structure allows teams to select the best tools for each problem rather than pushing a single solution across the organization.
“We didn’t want AI to be a hammer looking for a nail,” Snyder explained. “Instead, we treat it as part of a broader toolkit that includes automation and traditional machine learning, allowing us to drive the greatest impact.”
A Three-Pillar Approach to AI
Thermo Fisher Scientific has structured its AI strategy around three key pillars:
- Operational Efficiency – Using AI to streamline internal operations and improve productivity.
- Product and Service Enhancement – Integrating AI into scientific instruments and services to improve customer outcomes.
- Customer Experience – Leveraging AI to enhance interactions with customers, ensuring seamless support and engagement.
“We don’t just look at AI as a tool to cut costs,” Snyder noted “We also want to improve the experience for our customers. For example, we’re using AI on our website to help customers find the right products faster and answer their questions in real-time.”
The Importance of Governance and Responsible AI
With AI adoption accelerating, Snyder highlights the need for strong governance to ensure responsible use of the technology.
“AI governance is critical,” he underscored. “We need to democratize access to these tools while ensuring they are deployed ethically and effectively.”
This governance framework includes:
- Identifying high-impact AI applications
- Preventing siloed deployments
- Ensuring AI-driven processes align with the company’s values
“Responsible AI isn’t just about compliance.” He highlighted. “It’s about maintaining trust with our employees and customers.”
AI Use Cases at Thermo Fisher
Several AI-driven initiatives are already delivering value at Thermo Fisher Scientific. One major focus is clinical trials, where AI helps identify suitable patients, summarize large volumes of documentation and streamline trial management.
“Reducing the time and cost of clinical trials can have a massive impact on drug development,” said Snyder. “AI enables us to speed up the process while improving accuracy.”
Internally, AI is also improving software development by automating code documentation and assisting junior developers.
“No software developer enjoys writing documentation,” Snyder noted wryly. “Now, AI can handle that, improving code quality and accelerating development.”
Innovation Through Empathy
One of Snyder’s key leadership principles is using empathy as a foundation for innovation. He encourages his teams to meet business leaders where they are and tailor technology solutions to their specific needs.
“Not every leader is deeply tech-savvy, and that’s okay,” he said. “Our job is to guide them, understand their pain points and help them see how technology can make their lives easier.”
Looking to the Future
As technology continues to evolve, Snyder is focused on ensuring that Thermo Fisher remains ahead of the curve.
“The biggest mistake in enterprise IT is deploying tomorrow’s legacy today,” he warned. “We have to anticipate where technology is going and build solutions that are adaptable for the future.”
Emerging trends such as multimodal AI, speech and video processing and chain-of-thought reasoning are shaping Thermo Fisher’s long-term strategy. Snyder emphasized the importance of continuous learning and experimentation to keep pace with these advancements.
“You can’t wait until a technology is fully mature to start engaging with it,” he said. “You need to bring your business leaders along on the journey, so they’re ready to capitalize on the opportunities as they emerge.”
Under Snyder’s leadership, Thermo Fisher Scientific is successfully blending technology with business strategy to drive innovation and enhance customer value. By embedding IT within business units, fostering AI and data collaboration and maintaining a long-term perspective, the company is well-positioned to lead in the evolving digital landscape.
“Our role in IT isn’t just to deploy technology,” Snyder concluded. “It’s to create real, measurable business impact. That’s what makes this work so exciting.”
Peter High is President of Metis Strategy, a business and IT advisory firm. He has written three bestselling books, including his latest Getting to Nimble. He also moderates the Technovation podcast series and speaks at conferences around the world. Follow him on Twitter @PeterAHigh.
