Dr. Sherbaz Bichu, has been a core member of the founding team at Aster Hospitals, lives by the philosophy ‘Leadership is a way of doing things’. Inducted into the Aster Group as Consultant Anaesthetist in 2010 from Aster MIMS, Kerala, Dr. Sherbaz became the CEO of the first of the Aster Hospitals, Dubai in 2015.
Dr Sherbaz holds an MBBS from J S S Medical College, Mysore, India and an M D (Anaesthesia) from J.J.M. Medical College, Davengere, India. He also holds an MHCD from Harvard University.
T. J. Wilson is a Director of our Company and the Group Head – Governance and Corporate Affairs, GCC. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Calicut, Kerala, India. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. In the past, he has worked with Koyenco Feeds Private Limited and Parle (Exports) Limited. He is responsible for overseeing the legal, secretarial and governance function, internal audit and large portfolio of new hospital projects. He has been a Director of our Company since April 20, 2009.
Dr. Azad Moopen is the Founder Chairman of our Company. He is a gold medalist in Medicine and a postgraduate in General Medicine from University of Calicut, Kerala, India and a diploma holder in Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases from Delhi University, Delhi, India. He is responsible for our Company’s overall business operations and is responsible for setting forth the group strategy and vision. He also serves as a director of NORKA Roots and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation.
He has set up Dr. Moopen’s Foundation, a charitable foundation for extending healthcare charitable benefits to the less privileged. He has been a Director of our Company since its incorporation. He has been honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri Award in 2011 and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2010. He has also been conferred the Best Doctor Award by the Government of Kerala in 2009. He has also received the Arab Health Award from the Arab Health Forum in 2010, the Arabian Business Achievement Award from the ITP Publishing Group in 2010 and the Healthcare CEO of the Year Award at the CEO Middle East Awards 2015.
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Alisha Moopen is the Managing Director of our company. Having joined the company as a Director in 2013, she is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and development of the company, and notably spearheading the expansion of the group into new markets.
Alisha was recently elected by World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader to join the class of 2018. Recognizing her past work in healthcare, she has been inducted into a 5-year program with like-minded people who are committed and passionate to tackle the main challenges of the world today, with healthcare being one of them. She was also recognized as one of the Top 100 World’s Greatest Leaders in Asia and GCC in 2018. Forbes Middle East magazine has selected Alisha as one of the Top Next-Generation Indian Leaders in 2018. She also won Khaleej Times’ Emerging Leaders Award 2018 for Healthcare. She is a Chartered Accountant from the ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland) and worked earlier with Ernst & Young. She graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with distinction in Finance & Accounting.
Alisha’s philosophy in life is ‘Healthiness is Happiness’. She wants to enable quality healthcare across the globe through treating people with compassion, precision and excellence. She is dedicated to the cause of women empowerment and mental health. She believes in the diversity of the workforce, strength in differences and focused on improving the glass ceilings at work for women. She was instrumental in launching the Women in Leadership programme at Aster DM Healthcare which empowers talented and capable female employees with training and growth opportunities, to shape them for leadership roles. She is also an active philanthropist, being a trustee of Aster DM Foundation and involved in social welfare through the Aster Volunteers programme which bridges the gap between people who would like to help with those in need.
Alisha Moopen is dedicated to ensuring that humanity leverages on advances in science as well as personal re-engineering of self, ranging from lifestyle choices to dealing with the external environment, to staying happy and healthy, both physically and mentally. She believes using technology can enable better health outcomes for population management through precision medicine, connected care and AI.
Dr. A. Malathi is the chief medical and quality officer of our group. She was appointed to this post on February 16, 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from Bangalore University and a master’s degree in Human Physiology from Bombay University. She has also completed a training programme in hospital administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She is experienced in the field of healthcare. Prior to joining Dr. Moopen’s Healthcare Management Services LLC, she has worked at Fortis Hospitals Limited, Manipal Health Enterprises Private Limited and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College.
Nalla Karunanithy has recently joined Aster DM Healthcare as the CEO of Digital Health & eCommerce, based at the Corporate HQ in Dubai, UAE. In this pivotal role, he is tasked with leading the organization’s end-to-end digital health and eCommerce strategies.
With over 15 years of experience in digital and technology leadership, Nalla has spearheaded digital transformations across multiple industries, including retail, banking, and real estate. His impressive portfolio includes launching innovative solutions such as the region’s first unmanned grocery store and autonomous robotic warehouses. Nalla's deep expertise in leveraging advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and machine learning positions him perfectly to drive Aster’s digital roadmap, enhance patient experiences, and expand the company’s eCommerce footprint.
Nalla’s leadership in digital transformation has earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Leader of the Year award at Majid Al Futtaim. Before joining Aster, he held senior positions such as Chief Digital Information Officer at Omniyat, Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Chief Product Officer at Rocket Internet.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Wollongong, Australia, which forms the foundation of his technical expertise and strategic insights into digital innovation.
Jacob Jacob is a seasoned HR leader with nearly 30 years of experience across healthcare, real estate, aviation, and retail. In his role as Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) based in Dubai, UAE, he oversees talent acquisition, leadership development, succession planning, performance development, and organizational transformation for the group.
Jacob has held senior HR positions at Apollo Hospitals, Columbia Asia, and Malabar Group, where he led HR strategies for IPOs, M&As, and digital transformation. His efforts at Apollo earned global recognition, placing the organization among Gallup's top 30 worldwide.
Widely recognized for his expertise, Jacob is the recipient of the Asia HRD Award and HR Leadership Award. His academic credentials include a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Development from the Academy of HRD, a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from T.A. Pai Management Institute, and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from SDM College, Mangalore.
Veneeth has over two decades of experience in leading technology enablement and transformation across Retail, Education and Healthcare sectors. Prior to joining Aster DM Healthcare, he was the CIO of Fortis Healthcare. An ISB-Kellogg School of Management Alumni and a certified Healthcare CIO (CIOH) and a board member and joint secretary at CHIME India Chapter.
He is a CIO – Hall of Fame honoree and was conferred the Images Most Admired CIO of the year – Retail in 2015 by the Images Retail Organization. He is also awarded India’s Top 50 CIO’s by CIO Associations of India.
Dr. Shanila Laiju serves as Group Chief Executive Officer at Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres in the UAE. Dr. Shanila’s career started in 1994 when she made her foray into dentistry. From there, she soon progressed into hospital administration. Her journey gradually saw her evolve into a Clinic Supervisor, Operations Manager, Group Chief Operating Officer, and now – Group Chief Executive Officer.
Backed by more than 18 years of success, Dr. Shanila has extensively contributed to the group’s internal culture by inspiring teams and boosting their performance through people-focused hospital administration. She is also renowned for her hands-on approach to leadership, strategic decisions, and financial discipline. This approach has led to resilient employees, satisfied physicians, and resolute patient trust. Her expertise also brings great value to the medical community at large. She is an engaging communicator and relationship builder.
Dr. Shanila has spearheaded organizational planning, multimillion-dollar capital projects, contract negotiations, and team development while also increasing the brand’s visibility and growth. Making a tangible impact continues to be Dr. Shanila’s core goal. One of the countless ways she does this is by serving as a mentor in the Women Leadership program at Aster DM Healthcare. She is also a member of the Aster DM Group’s Senior Management Committee, which she has been involved in for six years. During her time on the committee, Dr. Shanila has significantly contributed to the rapidly expanding healthcare sector in the UAE.
One of her several career highlights includes carving out one of Medcare’s Centres of Excellence: the 65-bedded Medcare Orthopedics & Spine Hospital and the 88-bedded Medcare Women & Children Hospital. Part of what makes Dr. Shanila such an inspiring leader is her tireless commitment to sustainability - in all forms. Just a few of the various green initiatives she has led at Medcare include a mindful approach to electricity and water consumption, recycling, responsible e-waste management, and the launch of electronic medical records for patient convenience, data accuracy, and as a strategic move towards paperless operations. Dr. Shanila also facilitated a strategic partnership with Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) to provide free, timely medical treatment to injured children in conflict-affected countries in the Middle East.
N. S. Balasubramanian is the Chief Executive Officer for Aster Pharmacy - Retail in UAE.
Bala brings over 24 years of experience in Strategic Business Planning & Management experience in Healthcare, Retail, Nutrition, Distribution.
He was also President Healthcare Division of Gulf Marketing Group & Member of Executive Committee & Former Member - Board of Directors GMG, playing key Leadership roles in various Businesses including Healthcare & in Support function areas like HR, Learning & Development, Quality & Compliance & Internal Audit, leading a team of 500+
Rahul joined Aster DM Healthcare on 4th January 2023 as the Group’s Chief Marketing Officer. He has over 22 years of experience in Strategy, Branding, Marketing, Communication, Sports & Entertainment projects spanning across various industries.
Prior to joining Aster, Rahul was with Rakuten Group, a Japanese headquartered conglomerate with 70+ businesses, where he worked as the Executive Director for Global Branding, Marketing & Partnerships for the group and played a key role in increasing brand awareness and preferences. He was instrumental in inking partnerships with FC Barcelona, Golden State Warriors, Davis Cup, NBA and associations with Leo Messi, Andres Iniesta, Shakira’s Eldorado World Tour, etc. to name a few. In addition, he also led Rakuten’s Global Sports Business.
