Dr. Alawi Alsheikh-Ali

Dr. Alawi Alsheikh-Ali serves as Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, leading one of the UAE's major healthcare organizations. An Emirati physician-scientist, he is a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and member of the Board of Trustees at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), where he previously served as Provost from 2019 to May 2025 and Founding Dean of the College of Medicine from 2016 to May 2025.

Dr. Alsheikh-Ali earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master of Science in Applied Physiology from Boston University, a Master of Science in Clinical Research from Tufts University, and a Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University. He completed his internship, residency and fellowship training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and is one of a handful of physicians in the Gulf region to become triple-boarded by the American Board of Medical Specialties in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.

As a consultant cardiac electrophysiologist, he was part of the team that established the first comprehensive cardiac arrhythmia service in the UAE at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, where he served as Section Head of Electrophysiology and Chair of the Cardiac Sciences Institute. He has published more than 200 research and scientific papers in international journals related to heart rhythm and cardiac care in the GCC region.

Career History

• Provost and Founding Dean, College of Medicine at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (2016-May 2025)
• Section Head of Electrophysiology and Chair of the Cardiac Sciences Institute, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (Abu Dhabi)
• Consultant Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)
• Attending Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Tufts Medical Center (Boston)

What Dr. Alsheikh-Ali could bring to Dubai Health Authority: Drawing on his experience founding and scaling the College of Medicine at MBRU, establishing the UAE's first comprehensive cardiac arrhythmia service, and his track record as an academic leader overseeing healthcare innovation, he is positioned to drive strategic transformation across Dubai's health system with expertise in clinical excellence, research-driven healthcare delivery, and health professional education.