Dubai: A region long celebrated for its awe-inspiring marvels is now steadily gaining ground in the race to shape a robust healthcare edifice. With foreign capital aligning with domestic ambitions in a business-friendly environment, the transformation has gained remarkable momentum.
Driven by a rising focus on localisation, digital transformation, and collaborative innovation, the Middle East stands on the brink of a healthcare renaissance as it swiftly lays the groundwork for sustainable, patient-centric health systems.
Non-Communicable Diseases now account for a significant share of deaths in the region, underscoring the urgency for health system transformation and preventive interventions. Meanwhile, the healthcare market across the GCC continues to expand, fuelled by policy reforms, digital health investments, and the growth of private healthcare infrastructure.
As the region accelerates toward this vision, The Economic Times Group, one of the world’s most respected media houses, is set to host the ET Healthcare Leaders Summit Middle East edition in Dubai, a high-level convergence of policymakers, innovators, and healthcare leaders driving transformation across the Arab world.
The annual meet is supported by LeadSquared and eClinicalWorks as silver partners, and Humeta, Alchemist Hospital, Paramount and Intertec as associate partners.
Beginning with a Welcome Address by Prathiba Raju, Senior Assistant Editor at ETHealthworld, The Economic Times Group, the summit will commence with its inaugural panel discussion titled Reimagining Arab Healthcare: A Pan-Regional Blueprint for Transformation.
The discussion will feature notable visionaries including Dr. Howard Podolsky, CEO, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare; George Yacoub, Chief Digital and Information Officer, Department of Health Abu Dhabi; Dr. Raza Siddiqui, CEO, Arabian Healthcare Group; and Dr. Maya El Mallat, SEHA. Moderated by Prathiba Raju, the discussion will explore how regional integration, innovation, and knowledge exchange can redefine the future of healthcare delivery across the Middle East.
Subsequent sessions such as The Future of Pharma in the Arab World: Localisation, Innovation & Resilience will delve into the dynamic shifts transforming the pharma and healthtech sectors.
Experts sharing their insights will include Mohamed Nasser, General Manager, Middle East and Africa, Amgen; Mahmoud Saeed Ghaly, General Manager GCC Countries, SAJA Pharmaceuticals; Abdulrahim Alyahya, Director, Regulatory Affairs MENA and Saudi Arabia TSO, Biogen; and Dr. Ammar Raza, Regional Medical Director – MEA & Thailand, Allergan Aesthetics, Abbvie Company, Dubai, who will be moderating the discussion.
The summit will also take a deep dive into From Innovation to Impact: Accelerating Digital Health Adoption Across the Middle East.
Key industry voices including Veneeth Purushotaman, Group CIO, Aster DM Healthcare; Sandip Kumar, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, King’s College Hospital London; Manal Allam, IT Head & Business Partner – Middle East, Merck Group; and Daleep Manhas, Co-founder and CEO, Healthpresso, will share insights in a session moderated by Anand Dev Dhand, Head of Partnerships and International Business, LeadSquared.
A partner presentation by eClinicalWorks, themed Beyond the Buzz: Differentiating AI in Healthcare by Monali Thakker, Regional Head – MENA, will follow.
Next session, Are AI and Cloud Driving a New Wave in UAE’s Healthcare Playbook? will feature healthcare leaders including Veneeth Purushotaman, Group CIO, Aster DM Healthcare; Hamdan Alshammari, Digital Enablement Director, Seha Virtual Hospital and Innovation Enablement Center; Ashish Pandey, Chief Information Officer, Aster Pharmacy; Vijay Jethani, Director, Healthcare Industry Vertical, Intertec Systems; and Monali Thakker, Regional Head – MENA, eClinicalWorks.
The focus will then shift to patients with a panel discussion themed Patient First: Redefining the Healthcare Experience. Panelists include Dr. Hassa Saif Al Mazrouei, Medical Director – Patient Experience, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, UAE; Dr. Walid Achi, Chief Medical Officer, Emirates Hospitals Group; and Dr. Malathi Arshanapalai, Group Chief Medical Officer & Group Chief Quality Officer, Aster DM Healthcare, moderated by Dr. Mourad Ghrairi, Chief Medical Officer, HMS FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Dubai.
A subsequent session will explore Protecting Patients in the Digital Age: Cybersecurity at the Heart of Healthcare. Experts such as Christos Drakakis, CIO, Fakeeh University Hospital, UAE; Jaleel Rahiman, Director IT & PRIME Digital, Prime Healthcare; Deepak Cheraparambil, Director IT, Global Care Hospital, Abu Dhabi; and Premchand Kurup, CEO, Paramount, will share their perspectives, with Mahesh Mirchandani, Director and CTO, Cumulus Healthcare, moderating.
Following the cybersecurity discussion, the summit will convene a Fireside Chat on Financing the Future: Resilient Health Economies in a Volatile World.
Imran Jamiluddin Shaikh, Expert & Investment Director, Healthcare and Diversification, Oman Investment Authority, will engage with Prathiba Raju in a conversation bridging policy, practice, and patient outcomes.
The event will culminate in a Trialogue on Health Cities, Medical Tourism & Regional Alliances, reinforcing the Arab world’s growing prominence as a global healthcare hub. The discussion will feature Dr. Aysha Almahri, CEO, Burjeel Al Ain Region, and James Roderick Barr, CEO – IVF, SEHA, moderated by Prathiba Raju.
The day will close with the Curtain Raiser for The Economic Times Healthcare Awards Ceremony, celebrating excellence, innovation, and leadership across the healthcare ecosystem.
The region’s growing appeal as a global healthcare destination continues to strengthen, as evidenced by its expanding medical tourism and cross-border collaborations.
With its power-packed agenda and cross-border perspectives, the ET Healthcare Leaders Summit – Middle East is poised to become a defining moment in the region’s healthcare transformation story — where innovation meets purpose to build a healthier, more resilient Arab world.
