Regional gathering unites journalists, digital content creators and e-health partners to strengthen health literacy and responsible communication, recognising their distinct and vital roles in people’s weight-management journeys
Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 2026 – Novo opened the iCON Summit at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, bringing together journalists, digital content creators, healthcare, e-health partners and other stakeholders from across the Middle East and Central Asia to explore how credible science and trusted voices can help people navigate an increasingly complex weight-management journey.
People today encounter health information through more channels and voices than ever before, making it increasingly important that they can recognise information that is credible, evidence-based and useful. Through expert discussions and interactive experiences, the iCON Summit aims to strengthen health literacy, encourage responsible communication and help people make better-informed choices about their health.
The Summit reflects Novo’s ambition to bring together stakeholders who play different but important roles across people’s weight-management journeys. Journalists bring context and scrutiny, digital content creators know how to reach and engage people in meaningful ways, e-health partners help connect people with appropriate support, and Novo contributes science and healthcare experience.
“At Novo, we can bring science and healthcare expertise to the table, but we cannot shape better health conversations alone. That is why we are bringing together critical stakeholders who know how to reach and engage people in meaningful ways. Our roles are different, but our responsibility is shared: to make credible information easier to understand and help people make better-informed choices about their health,” said Burak Cem, MD Vice President, Novo.
“In the Gulf, we are seeing an important shift in how people access and engage with health information. By bringing together credible science, healthcare expertise and trusted voices, we have an opportunity to strengthen health literacy and empower people to make more informed choices about their health. Collaboration across the health ecosystem is essential if we want to create meaningful and lasting impact.” Venkat Kalyan, General Manager, Novo Gulf
As health conversations increasingly move into digital spaces, the Summit also explores how healthcare professionals can play a more active role in providing credible and accessible health information online.
“Healthcare professionals have always been trusted sources of medical knowledge, but today we also need to build that trust in the digital space. As health conversations increasingly move online, physicians have both an opportunity and a responsibility to become more active digital voices, helping people distinguish credible evidence from misinformation and navigate their health with greater confidence,” said Dr Ahmed Al Sharefi, Consultant Endocrinologist – Mediclinic Middle East.
By convening these different perspectives, Novo aims to contribute to a more informed and responsible conversation around weight management and encourage greater collaboration among those who shape how people encounter, understand and act on health information.
About iCON Summit: Organised by Novo’s Business Area Middle East & Central Asia (BAMECA), the International Influencers Convention (iCON) Summit is a regional gathering designed to strengthen health literacy in weight management and encourage more responsible health conversations. The Summit brings together digital content creators, journalists, and e-health partners who influence how people access, understand and act on health information. Participants represent markets across the Middle East and Central Asia, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Through expert discussions and interactive experiences, iCON aims to connect credible science with trusted voices, help address misinformation and support people in making better-informed choices about their health.
About Novo: Novo is the global healthcare company that believes lasting health starts now. For over a century, we’ve combined leading scientific expertise with a deep understanding of people’s lives. We develop treatments and support that help millions of people make progress they can see, feel and sustain now and in the future. Every day, over 67,000 employees around the world advance our purpose to drive change for lasting health. Through our partnerships, programmes and investments, we’re working to prevent disease, expand access to treatments and reduce our environmental impact to help even more people live healthier lives.
