Young Leader on a Global Mission
Charismatic with an easy confidence that comes from having several accolades to her name, Alisha Moopen, Executive Director and CEO of Aster DM Healthcare, Aster and Medcare Hospitals & Clinics GCC, has found her forte. A true leader who believes in empowering her employees, she has built a strong force of future leaders and not followers
“Bound by the global mission to make quality healthcare affordable and accessible for all, Alisha makes regular contributions to her various Foundations and Trusts”
Dream to create a world class institution
A financial consultant at Ernst & Young for 7 years, Alisha did not plan on entering the healthcare sector. But the opportunity to realize her dream to create a world-class institution that prizes health above all else soon came knocking. A millennial with an unconventional approach to leadership, Alisha joined her father, entrepreneurial legend Dr. Azad Moopen, in 2012 to support the family healthcare business.
During her six-year tenure at Aster DM Healthcare, she has been instrumental in expanding the footprint of the business across GCC, India, Jordan and Philippines. She has been influential in incorporating best practices and policies to preserve the company ethos for future generations. Today, Aster DM Healthcare boasts of over 323 establishments across 9 countries, which is not an ordinary feat.
An unpleasant experience at a UK healthcare centre led Alisha, then a financial consultant with E&Y, to appreciate her father’s work in the field of healthcare. While she didn’t have a doctor’s degree, she had a major in finance and accountancy with a Chartered Accountant Degree from ICAS, Scotland. Confident of her desire to contribute and willingness to learn,
Alisha decided to leave UK, ready to join her father’s business as the financial manager at one of Aster DM Healthcare’s hospitals.
Racing through the ranks
The unexpected demise of the CEO of one of the healthcare units hurtled Alisha into the proverbial storm as she was handed the tremendous responsibility of managing 25 clinics and 1 hospital in the UAE. But, she rose to the occasion and dealt with critical tasks like commissioning new units, managing a large task force of doctors and dealing with patient grievances. A fast learner, she adapted easily and soon took on the next challenge of setting up 25 new clinics in Emirates, while managing clinics and hospitals around GCC. Within a year, she became Director of Corporate Strategy. She was also instrumental in taking the brand to new markets like Bahrain and Philippines. As her father’s confidence in her abilities grew, she took on Medcare, a premium brand of the Aster DM Healthcare portfolio, excelling in this role too, finally showcasing her own talent and commitment in her area of expertise. Currently, she is the Executive Director and CEO of Aster DM Healthcare for Aster and Medcare Hospitals and Clinics in GCC region, a position she has held since 2015.
Growing into a leader
Aster DM Healthcare was already a well-established entity at the cusp of exponential growth when Alisha joined the team. Entering the family business meant she had to constantly fend off assumptions of ‘silver spoon benefits’. During the expansion phase of the business, she was forced to make many tough decisions and build teams and networks in new markets while keeping the company’s model of service and ethics intact for sustainable future growth.
Alisha truly believes that profit is a by-product and not the main purpose of healthcare. Under her guidance, Aster DM Healthcare has set up numerous support programmes for social justice, women and youth empowerment, and human health consciousness benefitting people in India, Afghanistan, Philippines, Africa and expatriates in the Gulf.
