Head of Digital Health and Care, Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia

With over 25 years of experience in technology and digital transformation — including 10 years in eHealth — Jaanika Merilo has been at the forefront of driving innovation. Since 2019, she has advised the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. In 2023, she joined the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia, where she currently serves as Head of Digital Health and Care and acts as Estonia’s national contact point for eHealth in the European Union.

Jaanika holds Master’s degrees from the University of Cumbria, the Rome Business School, and the University of Valencia, specializing in eHealth Management.

Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations, including a place in Google and the Financial Times 2015 NE100 list of “Innovators whose innovations change the world for the better” and “Visionaries in government that shape the future of AI.