Malayalis Shine in Forbes Middle East Healthcare List; Dr. Azad Moopen and Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil Among the Top Five
Seven Malayalis have secured spots on the Forbes Middle East ‘Top Healthcare Leaders’ list for 2026. This new ranking underscores the strong presence of Malayalis in the Gulf region’s healthcare sector.
Dubai: Malayali entrepreneurs and executives have achieved significant success in the ‘Top Healthcare Leaders’ list for 2026, released by the prominent business magazine Forbes Middle East. Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, and Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Burjeel Holdings, are at the forefront of this prestigious achievement, ranking among the top five healthcare founders in the Middle East. The rankings were announced across two categories—Founders and Executives—based on an evaluation of growth, investment, innovation, expansion, and industry influence within the healthcare sector.
Dr. Azad Moopen holds the third position in the ‘Founders’ category. Dr. Moopen built Aster DM Healthcare into one of the Middle East’s leading healthcare chains, having started with a small clinic in Dubai in 1987. A Forbes report states that Aster, which operates 1,025 facilities across the Gulf countries and India, employs over 65,000 people. The group manages 16 hospitals, 128 clinics, and 360 pharmacies within the GCC. New projects worth $272.3 million announced in the UAE earlier this year, along with $250 million in planned investments in Saudi Arabia, are part of the group’s expansion efforts.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, the founder of Burjeel Holdings, ranks fourth on the list. Having established Burjeel Holdings in Abu Dhabi in 2007, he assumed the role of CEO last December in addition to his position as Chairman. The network comprises around 100 assets—including 20 hospitals—spread across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Burjeel Holdings employs over 14,000 people and serves more than seven million patients annually. The group has announced several initiatives to further expand its operations in the Middle East.
Other prominent founders and executives on the list
Other leading Malayali entrepreneurs also feature prominently on the list of founders. Mohammed Alungal, the founder, Chairman, and President of Abeer Medical Group, holds the 40th position. The Abeer Group, which began as a single polyclinic in Jeddah in 1999, has evolved into a vast network with over 50 establishments across Saudi Arabia, other Gulf nations, and India; Mohammed Miandad V.P., Chairman and Managing Director of 33 Holdings, holds the 42nd position. The Forbes report acknowledges not only his healthcare services through Naseem Healthcare in Qatar but also his contributions to MedTech, healthcare innovation, and AI-driven platforms. Dr. Sunny Kurian, Founder and Chairman of the Dr. Sunny Healthcare Group, ranks 43rd; having started with a single clinic in Sharjah in 1990, he has made significant strides in the healthcare technology and home healthcare sectors.
Prominent Malayali professionals have also secured spots on Forbes Middle East’s special list of healthcare executives. Sherbaz Bichu, Group CEO of Aster Hospitals and Clinics for the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain regions, ranks 17th, while Shanila Laiju, Group CEO of Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres, holds the 64th position. Forbes prepared this ranking based on criteria such as company size, revenue, assets, industry influence, leadership, innovation, recent achievements, operational diversity, transparency, and CSR. The inclusion of seven Malayali healthcare leaders across two separate lists stands as a testament to the pivotal role Malayali entrepreneurs and senior executives play in the growth of the healthcare sector in the Middle East.
