100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2024

Almeida has been at the head of Baxter since 2016. After leading the company — which provides products crucial to the healthcare supply chain — through the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year he was tasked with steering Baxter through the fallout from Hurricane Helene. The damage from the hurricane to one of Baxter’s plants in North Carolina underscored the massive reliance the industry has on the company: The facility makes an estimated 60% of the intravenous fluid supplies used in the U.S. Almeida has been getting production back up to speed, with the factory restarting its highest-throughput manufacturing line for IV solutions in October. He additionally oversaw the definitive agreement to sell Baxter’s kidney care unit to the Carlyle Group. Almeida also serves on the board of Bank of America.