In a bold move that underscores the Middle East’s growing leadership in digital health, WHX Tech 2025 is set to launch from September 8–10, 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event aims to drive meaningful change by convening global experts, emerging startups, and decision-makers to explore real-world applications of digital health.

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Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Health, Emirates Health Services and in partnership with HIMSS, the inaugural WHX Tech event brings together healthcare leaders, tech innovators and investors to tackle the biggest challenges and shape the future of healthcare.

Redefining the future of healthcare

As healthcare systems worldwide contend with aging populations, rising costs, and increasing demand for personalised care, digital technologies are playing a critical role in shaping the future. WHX Tech is designed to respond directly to these challenges, providing a dedicated platform to explore the latest in artificial intelligence, robotics, remote care, and health data interoperability.

According to Solenne Singer, Vice President – Healthcare at Informa Markets, the creation of WHX Tech is a strategic response to global demand for innovation hubs that accelerate the adoption of digital health solutions. “Dubai offers a unique combination of forward-thinking regulation, smart infrastructure, and regional influence. It’s the perfect launchpad for this next-generation event,” Singer said.

Global gathering for tech trailblazers

WHX Tech is expected to attract over 5,000 digital health professionals, over 300 brands, and 200+ speakers, creating a melting pot of ideas and innovations. From healthcare providers and investors to entrepreneurs and government leaders, the event is poised to drive cross-sector collaboration.

WHX tech agenda

Attendees can explore a dynamic lineup of panels, live demonstrations, and thought-provoking fireside chats that are set to redefine digital healthcare. From pioneering advancements like AI-driven smart hospitals and space-based medicine to delivering digital health solutions to displaced populations, WHX Tech is driving real-world impact.

Participants are encouraged to discover what’s in store and begin planning their visit.

Three stages, one vision

The conference programme at WHX Tech is structured around three dynamic stages, each focused on a unique aspect of healthcare transformation:

World X – Global Perspectives on Digital Health Innovation

Across three immersive days, World X offers a deep dive into how nations around the globe are embracing digital health at scale. Attendees will explore real-world case studies showcasing the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, diagnostics, remote monitoring, and digital therapeutics. The event provides a rare opportunity to understand how innovations such as robotics, virtual care, and data analytics are actively transforming modern healthcare systems, driving efficiency, equity, and improved patient outcomes.

Xcelerate – Catalysing the next generation of health tech leaders

Xcelerate brings participants into the heart of the investment conversation, offering a front-row seat to how venture capitalists and angel investors identify the next wave of health tech disruptors. Industry leaders share firsthand insights into what fuels their investment decisions—what sparks interest, what raises red flags, and what convinces them to commit.

The stage features the Xcelerate startup pitch competition, as emerging companies compete for a $50,000 equity-free cash prize. It’s a rare chance to witness the decision-making process behind the rise of tomorrow’s healthcare unicorns, and to gain invaluable insider knowledge on market trends, investor priorities, and innovation trajectories.

Future X – Showcasing the frontier of healthcare technology

At Future X, the boundary between science fiction and clinical reality continues to blur. This showcase is a launchpad for the most visionary technologies reshaping the future of care—from AI and robotics to quantum computing. Through live demonstrations and product unveilings, innovators from around the world present breakthroughs that are already influencing patient care. It’s more than a glimpse of what’s next; it’s a firsthand experience of how transformative technologies are being built and implemented in real-time, redefining the future of global health.

Backed by global experts

A key differentiator for WHX Tech is its advisory board, comprising world-renowned digital health experts who ensure the programming remains cutting-edge and globally relevant. Confirmed members include:

• Dr. David Rhew, global chief medical officer & VP of Healthcare, Microsoft
• Dr. Sam Shah, director of Healthcare Data Management, NEOM
• Reenita Das, partner and senior VP, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Frost & Sullivan
• Dr. Myriam Fernandez, Head of Health Innovation, AWS
• Dr. James Mault, CEO, BioIntelliSense

Their collective insights shape a programme rooted in evidence, scalability, and impact.

Meet the health experts who will shape the future of healthcare at WHX Tech:

• Dr. Avi Mehra – Associate Partner, IBM Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Dr. Justus Wolff – EU Focus Group on AI Implementation
• Zayna Khayat, Applied Health Futurist
• Dr. Devi Shetty – Founder & Chairman, Narayana Health
• Khulood Mohamed Alsayegh – Head of Clinical Standards and Guidelines Section Health Policies and Standard Department, DHA
• Dr. Mohammad Al Redha – Director, Health Informatics & Smart Health, DHA
• Mahesh Alpannan – Head of Digital Health, MOH Malaysia
• Araceli Camacho – Transformation Director, Hospital Clinic Barcelona

These speakers, among others, will address emerging digital health trends, health equity, policy evolution, investment strategies, and entrepreneurial resilience.

Strategic alignment with national and global priorities

WHX Tech aligns with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031, the World Health Organization’s digital health objectives, and broader efforts toward universal health coverage. By convening decision-makers across tech, healthcare, and policy, the event supports regional and international health agendas.

Why attend?

With a full spectrum of digital health sectors represented, WHX Tech offers unmatched access to trends, partnerships, and market opportunities. Attendees will benefit from:

• Curated networking via the Connections Programme, which facilitates 1:1 meetings between buyers and solution providers.
• An exclusive Investors Programme, giving access to high-growth startups and early-stage deal flow.
• Presentations from over 200 expert speakers and thought leaders.

An event unlike any other

Unlike traditional health expos, WHX Tech is purpose-built to drive real-world outcomes. It’s more than just a showcase; it’s a launchpad for solutions and a meeting point for visionaries looking to transform care models, improve patient experiences, and shape the future of digital health.

Whether you are a policymaker, technologist, healthcare provider, or investor, WHX Tech 2025 offers a front-row seat to the most transformative health innovations of our time.

Dubai Reef, a pioneering purpose-built reef development and one of the world’s largest, is showing measurable progress in restoring marine ecosystems across Dubai’s coastal waters. New underwater footage from the initiative’s proof-of-concept site reveals a vibrant marine habitat, where fish populations and biodiversity are steadily increasing around the deployed reef modules.

Site surveys have identified a significant rise in fish populations across 15 native species, including snappers, groupers, and barracuda. Early data points to a 10 per cent boost in marine biodiversity, coupled with an eightfold increase in fish biomass—key indicators of the initiative’s impact on local ecosystems.

Habitat restoration

The initiative’s first pillar, Marine Habitat Restoration, targets the deployment of 20,000 reef modules across 600 square kilometres of Dubai’s waters by 2027. These efforts aim to create optimal conditions for marine life to thrive. Since the project’s launch in 2024, 39 per cent of the total modules have been fabricated, with 3,660 units already deployed.

Beyond habitat restoration, Dubai Reef incorporates two additional pillars—Marine Life Rehabilitation and Marine Conservation Research. Together, these components support a long-term vision of marine conservation aligned with Dubai’s sustainability agenda.

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Launched as a sustainability initiative under Dubai Can, Dubai Reef was established under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

The initiative is driven by a multi-stakeholder collaboration across key public and private sector partners, including the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA); DP World; Dubai Chambers; Nakheel, a member of Dubai Holding Real Estate; Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC); and Emirates. Collectively, these entities are advancing the city’s sustainability goals while supporting key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The Qiwa platform in Saudi Arabia has rolled out new updates to its employment contract system, introducing significant changes to how employers can report workers as “absent from work.”

Under the updated rules, employers can only submit an absence report if the worker’s residency permit (Iqama) is valid for at least 60 days and the worker has no active employment contract at the time of submission, a Saudi Gazette report said.

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Once a worker’s status changes to “disconnected from work,” they are given a 60-day grace period to take one of three actions: transfer to another employer, leave Saudi Arabia, or re-sign with the same employer. If no action is taken within this period, the worker will automatically be marked as “absent from work” and removed from the company’s records.

Terminations and notifications to authorities

The system also clarifies that if a work contract ends—whether by the employer’s or the worker’s decision—it will be recorded as “terminated” after the notice period concludes. Should the worker fail to act within the allowed grace period, an automatic notification will be sent to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) and the Ministry of Interior.

These updates aim to streamline the labor exit and transfer process, ensuring transparency and accountability in employer-employee relationships.

Digital certificates now available for workers

Qiwa has also introduced digital services that allow workers to obtain free employment-related certificates through their “Qiwa Individuals” account. Currently employed users can generate salary certificates with up-to-date job details. Former employees may request a service certificate summarizing their previous work history.

To access the service, users must log into their Qiwa Individuals account, navigate to “Employment Certificates,” and follow the instructions.

The platform says these tools are designed to boost job competitiveness through verified documentation of experience.

BRABUS Island, the first-ever branded residential project by German high-performance brand BRABUS, made a dramatic entry into the Middle East with a high-octane launch event at Emirates Palace. The unveiling, developed by Cosmo Developments – powered by Reportage Group – was brought to life by creative agency Innovation Crew, tasked with executing a fully immersive brand experience within tight venue limitations and an even tighter deadline.

The brief was ambitious: convert one of the most opulent venues in the world into a signature BRABUS experience. The challenge? No structural changes allowed. The transformation had to reflect BRABUS’ iconic black-on-black aesthetic, all within 48 hours.

“We had just a few days to finalise the creative, plan the journey, source materials, rehearse, and execute,” said Sony AbdelMohsen, general manager of Innovation Crew. “When they told us they wanted to dim the gold, I laughed. But they weren’t kidding – and neither were we, once the brief was in.”

At the time, Innovation Crew was already handling eight major campaigns across eight countries. To meet the deadline, the agency mobilised over 50 specialists across production, design, technology, and guest experience. Additional team members were flown in from Riyadh and Cairo to reinforce the Dubai-based core team. Leadership remained on-site to oversee every phase of execution.

To reflect the BRABUS brand DNA, the agency sourced bespoke materials from across the UAE – from carpets and cutlery to furniture and textiles – all designed to match the brand’s minimalist, high-impact palette. Emirates Palace staff coordinated closely with the production team to ensure installations adhered to strict preservation standards.

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“We couldn’t alter the structure, but we had to silence it,” added Sony. “Every shadow, spotlight, and surface was calculated. And if black plates and cutlery were missing across the UAE in April or May, you can probably blame us.”

The result was a striking, multi-sensory experience that captured the essence of the BRABUS brand while fully respecting the heritage of the venue. The event achieved strong digital momentum, with widespread organic impressions across social media platforms, and has since been recognised as one of the year’s most commercially successful real estate showcases.

Innovation Crew is no stranger to executing standout experiences. The agency’s portfolio includes some of the region’s most high-profile activations, such as the Pepsi Titan takeover at Ain Dubai, ADNOC’s Youth Centers closing ceremony with CAF, British Petroleum’s West Nile Delta launch, Philips’ Guinness World Record event at the Pyramids, and the opening of BSH’s first factory in Africa.