Innovaccer Inc., a San Francisco-based healthcare AI platform company with regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi, has announced the formation of its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Advisory Board. The new board brings on two of the region’s most influential digital health leaders—Dr. Walid Abbas Zaher and Dr. Hamed Al Hashemi—to shape strategy, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate value-based care adoption across the Middle East.
The move reflects Innovaccer’s deepening commitment to the GCC, building on its 2022 partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), part of the AED 2 billion Innovation Programme designed to advance healthcare accessibility, affordability, and quality.
“By leveraging data and AI, we can reimagine care delivery—proactive, personalized, and sustainable.”
– Dr. Walid Abbas Zaher
Dr. Walid Abbas Zaher, a Saudi scientist, medical doctor, and regenerative medicine expert, has led landmark initiatives such as the 4Humanity COVID-19 trials and the Emirati Genome Project. “Innovaccer’s vision aligns closely with the region’s pursuit of intelligent, outcome-driven healthcare,” he said. “By leveraging data and AI, we have an opportunity to reimagine care delivery—making it more proactive, personalized, and sustainable.”
Dr. Hamed Al Hashemi, former Advisor to the Chairman and Head of Digital Health Strategy at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, was instrumental in launching Malaffi, the UAE’s Health Information Exchange, and shaping regulatory frameworks for telemedicine and digital therapeutics. He noted, “Across the Middle East, we are seeing a remarkable convergence of vision, policy, and technology. By collaborating with Innovaccer, we aim to harness the power of data and AI to accelerate healthcare transformation—enabling smarter systems and more sustainable value-based models at scale.”
“We aim to harness the power of data and AI to accelerate healthcare transformation in the Middle East.”
– Dr. Hamed Al Hashemi
Abhinav Shashank, Co-founder and CEO of Innovaccer, added, “Health systems in the Middle East are laying the groundwork for long-term transformation by prioritizing data, outcomes, and innovation. Working with leaders like Dr. Zaher and Dr. Al Hashemi strengthens our ability to scale meaningful change.”
With the GCC Advisory Board in place, Innovaccer will focus on enabling connected, AI-powered healthcare systems that improve clinical outcomes, enhance efficiency, and deliver measurable value across the patient journey.
