Dr Azad Moopen

Dr Moopen, founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, is a leader who has redefined healthcare delivery across the GCC and India. A gold medalist in MBBS and a postgraduate in general medicine from Calicut Medical College, Kerala, Dr Moopen began his professional journey as a medical lecturer before moving to Dubai in the 1980s, recognising the potential to strengthen the region’s evolving healthcare ecosystem.

From a single clinic established in 1987, he has led Aster DM Healthcare’s transformation into one of the largest integrated healthcare providers, with 962 facilities across seven countries, employing over 30,000 professionals, including over 5,200 doctors and more than 10,000 nurses. In the UAE, Aster stands as the second-largest healthcare company, playing a pivotal role in the region’s healthcare advancement.

Guided by his belief that healthcare is foremost a service dedicated to saving lives, Dr Moopen has built Aster DM Healthcare on the principles of accessibility, affordability, and quality. In April 2024, Aster DM Healthcare strategically demerged its India and GCC operations to create two independently managed entities, enabling focused regional growth and unlocking long-term value. The India business remains listed on NSE and BSE, while in the GCC, a Fajr Capital- led consortium acquired a significant stake, with the Moopen family retaining operational control. Aster now plans to deploy approximately SAR1bn ($250m) over the next two–three years to expand its footprint across the GCC, with a focus on making affordable healthcare accessible to the majority of the Saudi population.

Beyond organisational growth, Dr Moopen has championed social impact through Aster Volunteers, a global network of more than 95,000 volunteers that has positively impacted over seven million people in the past eight years. Launched in Dubai in 2012, the initiative has extended across the GCC and Africa through mobile medical units and community outreach programmes, reflecting Aster’s commitment to advancing the UN sustainable development goals of good health and wellbeing. Through his leadership, Dr Moopen continues to combine professional excellence with a deep sense of purpose, ensuring that Aster DM Healthcare remains committed to sustainable healthcare development, accessible medical services, and meaningful humanitarian impact across all the regions it serves.