Our Leadership

Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi is the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC). With over 17 years of hands-on experience in successfully performing complex operations and leading large teams, Dr. Al Kaabi has earned a reputation as an expert in driving operational efficiency, improving customer care and enterprise risk management.

Prior to joining SSMC, Dr. Al Kaabi played a pivotal role in safeguarding critical infrastructure and functions as PureHealth’s Chief of Critical Infrastructure Management and Response. His role extended to developing and implementing incident and crisis management plans and establishing stringent security protocols and health and safety standards.__SPLIT__

Dr. Al Kaabi served as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), where his visionary leadership steered the organization through multiple strategic initiatives. Driven by a commitment to advancing health care delivery, Dr. Al Kaabi brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and a proven track record of success to SSMC.

Dr. Al Kaabi is a Medical Doctor (M.D.) and holds a Master’s degree in Health Emergency Management from Boston University, United States, and executive certificate in managing healthcare delivery from Harvard business school. His academic pursuits have equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of medical practice and health care management.


Dr. Abdulqader Almessabi, Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

Dr. Abdulqader Almessabi is the Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Consultant Gastroenterologist, and Hepatologist at SSMC. Dr. Almessabi brings a wealth of expertise to his role with a distinguished 20-year career. Graduating from the esteemed Medical School of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, in 2001, Dr. Almessabi specialized in Gastroenterology and went on to obtain a dual certification from both the Canadian and American Boards in Gastroenterology in 2010 after completing his training in Gastroenterology at McGill University, Canada. __SPLIT__

Driven by a commitment to excellence, Dr. Almessabi pursued further specialization through a fellowship in Advanced Endoscopy and Endoscopic Ultrasound at the Trocadero Clinic, Paris, and completed an Executive Master’s degree in Health Care Administration at Zayed University, displaying his dedication to holistic healthcare leadership.

Beyond his clinical pursuits, Dr. Almessabi has held pivotal leadership roles throughout his career. Since 2019, he has served as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at SSMC, where he has been a beacon of leadership and forward-thinking. His outstanding contributions in this capacity were acknowledged with the Distinguished Leader Award in 2023, a testament to his exceptional leadership skills.

Before his role at SSMC, Dr. Almessabi held key leadership positions, including Deputy CMO at Mafraq Hospital, Chair of SEHA Medical Council, and Chair of the Department of Gastroenterology at Mafraq Hospital. These roles have allowed him to shape healthcare policies, lead medical teams, and contribute significantly to advancing gastroenterology services.


Carolyn Millward, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Carolyn Millward, C.A. (S.A.), is the Chief Financial Officer at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) in Abu Dhabi, bringing over two decades of expertise in senior finance leadership within the healthcare sector across the Middle East and Africa. As a dedicated chartered accountant, Carolyn is committed to achieving sustainable financial performance by enhancing systems and processes at the nexus of health, people and the planet.

In her role as the executive sponsor and chair of the sustainability committee at SSMC, Carolyn spearheads initiatives that drive continuous improvement in sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, she serves as the executive sponsor of the SSMC Employee Health and Wellbeing Council, showcasing her commitment to fostering a healthy and supportive workplace culture. __SPLIT__

As a respected member of the Health Care Financial Management Association (HFMA) – International Advisory Council, Carolyn plays an active advisory role in the association’s global expansion efforts, which contribute to advancing the education and training of health care professionals on a global scale. Her extensive background includes pivotal roles in private health care institutions in South Africa and Oman before her move to the UAE in 2012, where she held senior finance positions at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Mubadala Health.

Beyond her professional achievements, Carolyn is passionately dedicated to empowering the next generation of female professionals. She extends her support through mentoring programs for young women in the UAE and holds a certification as a coach.

Carolyn’s academic journey includes earning her Bachelor of Accounting Science from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and a postgraduate qualification from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her commitment to professional excellence is underscored by her admission to the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2011, following the successful completion of her board exams.


Zulaikha Al Hosani, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Zulaikha Al Hosani, BSc, MHA, is the Chief Nursing Officer at SSMC, Abu Dhabi. She has 10 years of experience in clinical leadership roles, supporting excellence in patient care and safety.

Since joining SSMC in 2020, Zulaikha has managed the nursing team ensuring consistency in the standard of nursing practices across all settings, and providing leadership for the development of strategies of recruitment, retention and recognition of excellence for nursing employees.__SPLIT__

Prior to joining SSMC, Zulaikha was Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at Mafraq Hospital and held similar roles at Al Rahba Hospital and SEHA Corporate. Throughout her career, she has led a variety of quality improvement projects and initiatives.

Zulaikha received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fatima College of Health Sciences, UAE, and her Executive Master’s in Healthcare Management from the Zayed University, UAE.


Dr. Abdulkarim Saleh, Acting Dean of Education

Dr. Abdulkarim Saleh is the Acting Dean of Education and a consultant nephrologist. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and his Medical Doctor’s degree at the American University of Beirut. He trained in Internal Medicine at the McGaw Medical Center, Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, and completed a nephrology fellowship at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

He served on the faculty of Northwestern University for two years and was later appointed head of the Clinical Services Division at the National Kidney Foundation of Singapore, in medical partnership with the Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University.__SPLIT__

He joined Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in 2002, where he served in several leadership roles including founding chair of the Education Institute (2003-2014), founding chair of the Medical Ethics Board (2006-2008), chair of Medicine (2014-2019), and deputy chief medical officer (2013-2019). He joined Mafraq/ SSMC in July 2019.

In his new role as the acting dean of Education, Dr. Saleh will be working closely with the associate deans and colleagues to ensure that all SSMC learners receive superb clinical training. Dr. Saleh will also retain his current role as Graduate Medical Education Center associate dean.


Sultan Saeed Al Nuaimi, Senior Human Resources Director (SHRD)

Sultan Saeed Al Nuaimi is the Senior Human Resources Director at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC). As part of the leadership team at SSMC, Sultan holds the overall accountability for all strategic and operational aspects of the human capital functions.

Before joining SSMC, he served as the Human Resources Director at Mafraq Hospital and has held similar roles at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and Al Ain Hospital, part of SEHA.__SPLIT__

With more than 18 years of work experience, his primary responsibilities at SSMC include developing and executing the human resources strategy in support of SSMC’s vision and operational goals. As a mentor, he continuously encourages his team to adopt a strong sense of ownership and build partnerships, cascading his vast experience and skills to his direct reports.

Sultan leads the Emiratization plans for SSMC and has established a network of support and development programs to attract, develop and retain Emirati talent.

With specialist skills and knowledge in integrating the principles of sustainable development into human resources and business practices and strategies, Sultan earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the University of Colorado, USA. He also received his Chartered Institute of Personnel Development Diploma (CIPD) from London, UK and has most recently completed the SEHA Leadership Program; facilitated by Harvard Business School.