- Bringing together 40+ leaders to advance healthcare from strategy to execution
- Advancing resilient healthcare, innovation, digital health, and precision medicine
- Driving pharmaceutical localization, talent development, and sector competitiveness
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – August 2026: Forbes Middle East has announced the second edition of the Healthcare Leaders Summit – Riyadh 2026, taking place this year under the theme “Health at the Heart of National Progress.” The Summit will bring together leading policymakers, experts, innovators, and healthcare leaders from Saudi Arabia, the region, and around the world to explore the future of integrated, technology-enabled healthcare systems.
Taking place on September 13, 2026, the Summit will feature a distinguished line-up of senior officials and healthcare leaders, including Dr. Khalid bin Adnan Al-Buraikan, Deputy Minister for Investment at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health; Dr. Riyadh bin Qainan Al-Ghamdi, Acting CEO of the Saudi Public Health Authority; Dr. Howard Podolsky, CEO of Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare; Mark Anthony Zoura, CEO of Philips Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa; Dr. Steve Yang, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec; and Prof. Ahmed Al-Jedai, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of SPIMACO, alongside senior officials, experts, academics, and international investors.
The Summit is expected to attract around 2,000 participants, as Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector undergoes a rapid shift from strategy to execution. This transformation is supporting efforts to enhance healthcare quality, improve patient outcomes, strengthen sector efficiency and sustainability, and build resilient healthcare ecosystems capable of responding to rapidly evolving needs.
The Summit will focus on five key themes: “From Strategy to Impact: Building Resilient Healthcare Ecosystems”; “Aligning Capital and Capability: Long-Term Value Creation”; “Value-Driven Patient Care: Digital Foundations, Precision Therapies, and Precision Medicine”; “Healthcare as a Growth Engine: Pharma Localization, Workforce Excellence, and Global Competitiveness”; and “Advancing Healthcare Frontiers: Enabling Seamless Care.”
Commenting on the Summit, Khuloud Al Omian, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Middle East, said: “The second Healthcare Leaders Summit – Riyadh 2026 reflects Forbes Middle East’s continued commitment to creating platforms that bring together the most influential leaders in healthcare to address the issues shaping the sector’s next chapter. Through the Summit, we aim to strengthen dialogue among decision-makers, business leaders, and innovators; foster partnerships and knowledge exchange; and translate ideas and visions into practical initiatives that deliver lasting impact and support the development of more efficient, resilient, and future-ready healthcare ecosystems, in step with the rapid transformation of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector.”
The Summit is supported by leading academic institutions and healthcare companies, including Magrabi Health, SPIMACO, The University of Manchester – Dubai, Almana Medical Group, SMC Healthcare, and Jamjoom Pharma, reflecting the growing collaboration between the healthcare, academic, and industrial sectors to advance innovation and strengthen the region’s healthcare ecosystem.
About Forbes Middle East:
Forbes Middle East is published under license from the global Forbes brand as a dedicated edition for the Arab world, with a mission to advance business journalism across the region. Through its digital platforms and social media channels, Forbes Middle East delivers breaking news and in-depth coverage on wealth, business, investment, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyle.
Its monthly magazine, published in both English and Arabic, features exclusive interviews with some of the Middle East’s most influential and innovative leaders. Digital editions are also available to readers across the region and around the world through its website.
Forbes Middle East has established the Forbes editorial presence across the Arab world through its independent research and proprietary methodologies, which underpin its widely recognized rankings and lists. Its content reaches business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, executives, and a broad audience of ambitious professionals and changemakers.
