Chief Executive Officer CEO - Hospital

Organization Profile

A leading quaternary care hospital in Abu Dhabi, operating within a highly regulated, quality-driven healthcare environment and aligned with UAE national healthcare priorities, international accreditation standards, and long-term sustainability goals.

Role Overview

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the overall strategic leadership, operational excellence, financial performance, and clinical governance of the hospital. The CEO will ensure delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered care while driving growth, innovation, compliance, and organizational culture in alignment with Abu Dhabi healthcare regulations and international best practices.

This role requires a seasoned healthcare executive with proven experience leading complex hospital operations in the GCC or comparable regulated healthcare systems.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the hospital’s short-, medium-, and long-term strategic plans in alignment with board objectives.
• Drive service line expansion, clinical excellence, and market positioning within Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.
• Lead transformation initiatives including digital health, operational efficiency, and patient experience optimization.
• Represent the hospital at government, regulatory, and industry levels.
  
  
  

Clinical Governance & Quality

• Ensure compliance with all DOH (Department of Health – Abu Dhabi) regulations, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Oversee clinical governance frameworks to maintain patient safety, quality outcomes, and risk management.
• Ensure continuous readiness for international accreditation (e.g., JCI or equivalent).
• Foster a culture of accountability, ethical practice, and continuous improvement.
  
  
  

Operational & Financial Management

• Oversee hospital operations including medical services, nursing, allied health, support services, and administration.
• Drive financial sustainability through budgeting, revenue optimization, cost control, and investment planning.
• Monitor KPIs related to clinical performance, patient satisfaction, workforce productivity, and profitability.
• Ensure effective procurement, vendor management, and infrastructure utilization.
  
  
  

People & Culture Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate senior leadership teams (CMO, COO, CFO, CNO, Medical Directors).
• Attract, retain, and develop high-caliber clinical and administrative talent.
• Promote a high-performance culture aligned with UAE values, professionalism, and patient-centric care.
• Ensure workforce Emiratization strategies where applicable.
  
  
  

Stakeholder & External Relations

• Maintain strong relationships with regulators, payers, insurers, physicians, and strategic partners.
• Support government healthcare initiatives and public-private collaboration where applicable.
• Act as the hospital’s principal spokesperson when required.
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

Education

• Medical Degree, Master’s in Healthcare Management, Business Administration (MBA), or equivalent advanced qualification.
• Additional executive leadership or healthcare management certifications are highly desirable.
  
  
  

Experience

• Minimum 10–15 years of progressive healthcare leadership experience, with at least:
• 5+ years in a CEO / Hospital Director role
• Experience managing large, multi-disciplinary hospital environments
  
• Proven experience within UAE, GCC, or similarly regulated international healthcare systems is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in hospital growth, operational turnaround, or large-scale transformation.
  
  

Regulatory & Market Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Abu Dhabi DOH regulations, healthcare licensing, payer models, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience working with international accreditation bodies and quality standards.
  
  
  

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
• Financial acumen and commercial judgment
• Clinical governance and risk management expertise
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder-management skills
• High integrity, discretion, and resilience under pressure
  
  
  

Compensation & Benefits

• Highly competitive executive compensation package aligned with Tier-1 Abu Dhabi healthcare market standards.
• Performance-linked incentives and long-term value creation metrics.
• Executive benefits package including housing, schooling, medical insurance, and relocation support (where applicable).
  
  
  

How To Apply

Qualified senior healthcare executives are invited to submit a confidential CV and executive summary to:

Email: dr.sylviarefaat@sylvcare.com

All applications will be handled with strict confidentiality.

Job Reference

Please quote the following reference in the email subject line:

Job Ref: CEO-AD-HOSP-2026

---