At Pearl Health, delivering on our mission isn’t just about building great products or supporting our provider partners — it’s also about doing so in a financially responsible, sustainable way. That’s where David Junius comes in.
As Chief Financial Officer, David helps guide the company’s financial strategy with clarity, discipline, and a whole lot of experience. With more than two decades in the insurance and reinsurance industries, David brings a keen understanding of risk, capital, and the importance of telling a clear financial story — both to internal stakeholders and external investors.
In this conversation, David shares what attracted him to Pearl, how he thinks about scaling a financially sustainable business, and why simplifying complex ideas is a critical part of his job.
You’ve worked in finance for decades — what made you decide to join Pearl?
I had just wrapped up a Series C round at my prior company and was looking for a new challenge. Pearl felt like a great opportunity to apply what I know about managing risk while learning something new in healthcare.
Have you worked in healthcare before?
Not directly — this is really my first true healthcare role. I’ve had some exposure to accident and health insurance, like travel or dread disease coverage, but value-based care is new to me. That said, managing risk is a common thread, whether you’re insuring hurricanes or helping physicians improve outcomes. It’s still about understanding and managing variability.
How does your background translate to Pearl’s goals and strategy?
A big part of why I was brought in was my experience with capital markets — equity, debt, reinsurance, credit facilities. I know the banking landscape well, especially in New York. And even though healthcare investors and underwriters are a bit different than those in property and casualty, there’s a lot of overlap.
Also, I’ve spent time working with the team here on reshaping how we present our financials — making them more digestible for investors. In this business, it’s easy to drown in complexity. My job is to simplify the story.
There’s been a lot of talk internally about simplifying our financial story. Why is that so important?
Because the programs we operate in are incredibly complex. And if you can’t tell your story clearly, you lose people. Investors don’t want to read a 100-page program manual. They want to know: What are your levers? Are you in control? Can you deliver?
So we’ve been restructuring how we present things — breaking it down to benchmarks, total medical expenses, savings, and what’s shared with practices. It’s about reducing it to a few key numbers that people can understand and believe in.
How do you see Pearl’s financial strategy supporting its broader mission?
At the end of the day, our mission relies on delivering on our promises — to CMS, to providers, to our investors. That means managing our cash, our capital, and our risk in a way that’s sustainable. But we also need to keep investing in the business — expanding our product offerings, building new AI tools, improving the provider experience.
We’re balancing being prudent with being ambitious. It’s about having the cash flow to fulfill obligations while still growing in a smart way.
How does Agentic AI factor into our financial future?
Agentic AI is about reducing the administrative burden on doctors and getting them to take action on insights we deliver — that’s the magic. Insights alone aren’t our moat; it’s about whether the provider acts. If we can improve that action rate, it drives better outcomes and greater savings. That translates directly into financial sustainability — for us, for CMS, and for our provider partners.
What differentiates Pearl in such a crowded, complex space?
We’re a technology-first organization in a field where others have leaned heavily on people and services. Our competitors might throw more bodies at problems. We’re focused on scalable software that enhances doctor workflows — not replaces them. That gives us a long-term cost and operational advantage.
How would you describe Pearl’s culture?
It’s a smart, motivated group of people working on really hard problems. There’s a lot of intellectual horsepower here. That said, we’re still maturing operationally. Sometimes we’re recreating the wheel when we don’t have to — so part of our growth is about pairing smart people with a little more experience and discipline in execution.
What’s a tool or habit you swear by at work?
Taking a pause before responding. Sometimes the best answer isn’t the fastest one. Especially in a senior role, I’ve learned it’s okay to take a beat, think, and come back with a clearer perspective.
If you could swap jobs with someone at Pearl for a day, who would it be?
I’d love to try Steven Duque’s (Chief Growth Officer) job. He’s so positive and can-do. Sales is a tough gig — you get a lot of no’s, a lot of doors slammed in your face. But he handles it with energy and enthusiasm. I think spending a day in his shoes would be energizing.
With a steady hand and a clear-eyed approach, David Junius is helping Pearl grow in a way that’s not just ambitious — but financially sound. His ability to balance clarity with complexity, risk with opportunity, and discipline with growth is a key part of Pearl’s future.
Interested in joining the Pearl team? We’re currently hiring across various departments and roles. Check out opportunities on our Careers Page.
