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Forbes Middle East Healthcare Leaders Summit 2026
13 SEP 2026· 1 days · In person
JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh · Riyadh
From $200
About the event
The second edition of the Forbes Middle East Healthcare Leaders Summit takes place in Riyadh on Sunday 13 September 2026 at the JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh in Rafal Tower on King Fahd Road. The one-day programme brings together health policymakers, investors, hospital group chief executives and leaders from pharmaceutical and health technology companies from the Kingdom, the region and beyond, under the theme Health at the Heart of National Progress.
The programme runs across five themes: from strategy to impact in building a resilient health economy, aligning capital and capability for long-term value creation, value-driven patient care through digital foundations, precision therapies and preventive models, healthcare as a growth engine through pharmaceutical localisation, workforce excellence and global competitiveness, and finally advancing healthcare frontiers and seamless care. Sessions cover digital health ecosystems and artificial intelligence in care delivery, financing for life sciences, genomics and longevity, private-sector expansion, and prevention and lifestyle-related disease, addressed to government officials, hospital leadership, manufacturers, investors and researchers.
Entry is by advance registration on the organiser's platform, with two passes available. The visitor pass gives access to the summit area, the panel discussions, the exhibiting partners and general networking. The paid delegate pass adds reserved seating for main-stage sessions, priority registration, dedicated on-site assistance, coffee breaks and lunch, and a post-event digital content pack of session highlights. Seating is limited, as the organiser states.
Agenda
26Day 113 September
- 09:00–10:30Registration and Networking
- 10:35–10:45National Anthem and Opening Ceremony
- 10:50–10:55Welcome AddressWelcome address by Khuloud Al Omian, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Middle East.
- 11:00–11:05Opening KeynoteSpeaker to be announced by the organiser.
- Theme 1: From Strategy to Impact - Building a Resilient Healthcare Economy
- 11:10–11:15Special AddressSpeaker to be announced by the organiser.
- 11:20–11:25Audience Q and AOpen floor with Stephen White, Senior Conference Manager at Forbes Middle East.
- 11:30–11:40Fireside Chat: Saudi Arabia's Health Economy - The Next Growth FrontierA conversation on how investment, life sciences innovation and strategic partnerships are unlocking growth and placing Saudi Arabia among the world's most dynamic healthcare markets. With Khalid bin Adnan Al Burikan, Deputy Minister of Health for Investment, moderated by Sally Mousa.
- 11:45–12:00Panel: National Ambition, Global Standards - Building a World-Class Health SystemHow public-sector leadership, industrial capability and collaboration are strengthening performance, expanding capacity and positioning the Kingdom among leading healthcare markets. With Riyad Alghamdi, Ahmed Aljedai and Konstantinos Deligiannis, moderated by Jayda Shoukry.
- 12:05–12:10Spotlight Address: From Education to Execution - Developing the Next Generation of Healthcare LeadersHow educational institutions, industry partnerships and a culture of lifelong learning build the leadership and talent the Kingdom needs. Delivered by Randa Bessiso.
- 12:15–12:30Panel: Capital, Partnerships and Growth - Investing in Saudi Arabia's Healthcare FutureInvestors, healthcare leaders and public-sector stakeholders on using partnerships to scale innovation, strengthen capacity and position the Kingdom as a healthcare investment destination. With Awad Al-Omari, Bassam Chahine and Faisal Abdulhadi, moderated by Tahir Hussain.
- Theme 2: Aligning Capital and Capability - Long-Term Value Creation
- 12:35–12:50Panel: Scaling Private Healthcare - Efficiency, Expansion and Market ConfidenceHow leading private providers expand capacity, improve operational excellence and attract investment while strengthening confidence in the Kingdom as a healthcare market. With Joseph Hazel, Muteab Altukeas and Marc Antoine Zora, moderated by Michael Schelper.
- 12:55–13:05Fireside Chat: Data, Efficiency and Resilience - Advancing the Kingdom's Digital Health InfrastructureHow data, secure digital infrastructure and intelligent technologies strengthen efficiency, resilience and decision-making across the Saudi healthcare landscape. With Mohanned AlRasheed, moderated by Stephen White.
- 14:05–14:20Panel: Backing Breakthroughs - Financing the Future of Health and Life SciencesHow investors, institutions and research leaders fund breakthrough science, accelerate commercialisation and build a competitive health and life sciences ecosystem. With Abdulrahman Al Shaya, Yassin Alhamad and Ibrahim Alnajashi, moderated by AnaMaria Meshkurt.
- Theme 3: Value-Driven Patient Care - Digital Foundations, Precision Therapies and Preventive Models
- 14:25–14:40Panel: Intelligent Care Delivery - AI Redefining Performance Across the Care ContinuumLeadership insight on how artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and digital infrastructure improve clinical decision-making, optimise care delivery and lift outcomes. With Björn Bodenstein, Howard S. Podolsky and Sarper Tanli, moderated by Nada Hassan.
- 14:45–15:00Fireside Chat: The Global Biopharma Playbook - Rethinking the Path from Discovery to DeliveryA conversation on how changing models of drug development, strategic partnerships and global biopharma capability are reshaping the journey from discovery to commercialisation. With Steve Yang, moderated by Shahad Mahdi.
- 15:05–15:20Panel: The Precision Revolution - Advancing Genomics, Longevity and Life SciencesHow genomics, biotechnology, advanced therapeutics, precision diagnostics and longevity science accelerate the shift towards earlier intervention and more personalised care. With Mubarak Al Shardan, Mohammad Abouammoh and Sameh Azzam, moderated by Fadi Smeirat.
- Theme 4: Healthcare as a Growth Engine - Pharma Localisation, Workforce Excellence and Global Competitiveness
- 15:25–15:40Panel: From Market to Manufacturing - Expanding the Kingdom's Pharmaceutical FootprintHow localisation, advanced manufacturing, resilient supply chains and partnerships expand pharmaceutical capability and strengthen the Kingdom as a regional pharmaceutical hub. With Tarek Hosni, Ismail Shehada and Mohamed Mazen Batterjee, moderated by Rehan Ahmed.
- 15:45–16:00Panel: Excellence by Design - Talent, Leadership and Patient-Centred CareLeadership perspectives on how talent, clinical excellence and patient-centred care raise quality and outcomes and reinforce the Kingdom's standing among leading health systems. With Peter James Goadsby, Naiem Moiemen and Walaa Albenayan, moderated by Paul Setlak.
- Theme 5: Advancing Healthcare Frontiers - Enabling Seamless Care
- 16:05–16:20Panel: Connected Care Ecosystems - Digitising Access, Integration and Patient ExperienceHow interoperable health data, secure digital ecosystems and virtual care models widen access, strengthen coordination and improve outcomes. With Muayad Simbawa, Sofia Macedo and Selwa Al-Hazzaa, moderated by Yosr Hamza.
- 16:25–16:40Panel: Building Healthier Communities - Making Wellbeing Part of Everyday LifeHow prevention, digital innovation, education and leadership embed wellbeing in daily life to create healthier, more resilient communities. With Mark Guildea, Mohammed Husary and Nairouz Bader, moderated by Viwe Kunene.
- 16:45End of Conference
Speakers
47Khalid AlburikanDeputy Minister of Health for InvestmentRiyad Qainan AlghamdiActing Chief Executive OfficerNasser Al HuqbaniChief Executive OfficerHoward S. PodolskyChief Executive OfficerRanda BessisoFounding Director and Chief Executive Officer, Middle EastMohanned Abdullah AlRasheedChief Executive OfficerSteve YangCo-Chief Executive OfficerAhmed AljedaiVice Chairman and Managing DirectorPeter GoadsbyDean of the Biomedical Sciences DivisionJoseph HazelGroup Chief Executive OfficerAwad Al-OmariChief Executive OfficerTarek Youssef HosniChief Executive Officer
Show the remaining 35 people
Konstantinos DeligiannisZone President, Eurasian and African Growth MarketsMarc Antoine ZoraChief Executive Officer, Middle East, Türkiye and AfricaMuteab AltukeasChief Executive OfficerSelwa Al-HazzaaFounder and Chairman of the BoardAbdulrahman Ibrahim Al ShayaChairman of Collaboration and PartnershipsBjörn BodensteinManaging Director, Saudi ArabiaBassam ChahineChief Executive OfficerIsmail ShehadaChief Executive OfficerMohamed Mazen BatterjeeManaging DirectorMubarak Al ShardanSenior Director, Saudi ArabiaFaisal AbdulhadiRegional Director, Healthcare and EducationSameh M. AzzamSenior Director, Biotechnology, MENA InjectablesMuayad Rayan SimbawaManaging DirectorMohammad Abdulrahman AbouammohSenior Director of Oncology and Hematology Medical AffairsM. Sofia MacedoAdvisorSarper TanliExecutive Director, Middle East and AfricaYassin AlhamadDirector of Medical AffairsWalaa AlbenayanDirector of Medical Affairs, GCCIbrahim AlnajashiChairmanMichael SchelperOperating PartnerNaiem MoiemenChair of the Medical and Scientific Research CouncilNada HassanCo-founder and Chief Business OfficerFadi SmeiratPartner and MENA Healthcare and Life Sciences Sector LeaderYosr HamzaFounderPaul SetlakFounder and Chief Executive OfficerRehan AhmedActing Chief Executive OfficerTahir HussainChief Executive OfficerShahad MahdiSecretary GeneralAnaMaria MeshkurtPartnerStephen WhiteSenior Conference ManagerSally MousaSenior PresenterBudour Al MousaPresenter and ProducerJayda ShoukryContent ProducerLayan Abo ShkierEditor and ResearcherViwe KunenePresenter
The venue
24.70N 46.68E
JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh