Burjeel Holdings Founder, Chairman and CEO joins global healthcare leaders guiding an initiative focused on digital health, data, AI and intelligent models of care
Abu Dhabi, August 13, 2026: Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Burjeel Holdings, has joined the Executive Board of the World Economic Forum's Digital Healthcare Transformation (DHT) Initiative, bringing a health-system operator perspective from the Middle East to a global platform shaping the next phase of healthcare transformation.
Led by the World Economic Forum's Centre for Health and Healthcare, the DHT Initiative is a global public-private platform focused on unlocking the potential of digital health, health data and artificial intelligence to improve health. Its work seeks to move digital innovation beyond individual pilots toward responsible adoption at scale across healthcare ecosystems.
The Executive Board is the Initiative's principal-level sponsorship, mandate-setting and oversight body. Comprising chief executives, ministers and leaders of multilateral institutions, it provides strategic direction on the Initiative's vision, priorities and system-level agenda. Private-sector seats are reserved for global or group CEOs, and membership is by personal invitation.
Dr. Shamsheer joins an Executive Board that includes some of the world's leading healthcare decision-makers, including Gianrico Farrugia, President and CEO of Mayo Clinic; Geoff Martha, Chairman and CEO of Medtronic; Roy Jakobs, President and CEO of Philips; H.E. Fahad bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel, Minister of Health of Saudi Arabia; Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise; Dr. Anne Klibanski, President and CEO of Mass General Brigham. The Board also includes leaders from major healthcare, MedTech and health-system organizations, reflecting the cross-sector approach required to advance digital healthcare transformation globally.
Under Dr. Shamsheer's leadership, Burjeel Holdings has developed an integrated healthcare network spanning the continuum of care, with strengths in complex care, advanced clinical technology, AI integration, digital infrastructure and broader technology-led transformation initiatives, alongside continued regional expansion.
Dr. Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, said: "The vision for the World Economic Forum's DHT initiative is a reimagined healthcare and life sciences ecosystem that delivers digital health solutions to 21st-century health challenges. The initiative seeks to unlock intelligent health at scale through public-private collaboration. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Shamsheer to the Executive Board of the DHT initiative, as he brings a distinctive perspective shaped by his experience as a physician-founder, investor, and philanthropist. This experience positions him to contribute practical insights on translating AI, digital innovation, and emerging technologies into improved patient outcomes, more efficient care delivery, and scalable health system transformation."
Commenting on the appointment, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil said: "Healthcare transformation will depend on how effectively we bring together clinical expertise, technology, data and collaboration to solve real challenges for patients and health systems. Digital health and AI can create meaningful impact when they are deployed responsibly, at scale and with a clear human purpose. I look forward to contributing a health-system perspective from our region and working with fellow leaders to advance more connected, resilient and patient-centered models of care."
Launched in 2024, the Digital Healthcare Transformation Initiative advances its work through three principal tracks: sharing insights and leading practices, shaping enabling health ecosystems, and supporting Pathfinder coalitions that demonstrate digital transformation at scale. The Initiative has engaged more than 200 organizations and focuses on areas including health data collaboration, health AI innovation and regulation, virtual health, digital health incentives and intelligent health systems.
Abu Dhabi also features within the Initiative's global Pathfinder approach, with a focus on intelligent health systems and ambitions to strengthen international collaboration, develop a global strategy hub and share scalable approaches to healthcare transformation.