2017 - 2018 ✧ TreeTop Hospital, Maldives - Medical Director / CMO & Head of Cardiac Surgery

Appointed eight months prior to the planned opening of the hospital to organise the Cardiac Department, with responsibility for the pre-opening phase, operational launch, logistics, and medical start-up of both the hospital and the Surgical Department, including preparation for JCI accreditation.

Within one month, my remit was expanded to encompass overall responsibility for the entire hospital as Medical Director / Chief Medical Officer. All medical staff and auxiliary services reported directly to me. I was responsible for all medical pre-opening logistics, the development of standard operating procedures and quality control standards, the establishment of effective clinical governance systems, and the management of the medical start-up and JCI accreditation process. 

I also led the medical recruitment component of the HR function, overseeing the selection and appointment of more than 80 international specialists and consultants through to the hospital’s successful opening and its first successful surgical and medical interventions.

I developed strategic initiatives to build new capabilities for the hospital, initiated collaborations and partnerships with NGOs to reach potential patients, and designed and managed innovative screening programmes. I was also involved in the broader management of the hospital and prepared regular reports for the Board. In addition, I cultivated relationships and partnerships with suppliers to manage the hospital’s complex supply chains, made particularly challenging by the remote location of the Maldivian islands.

Following the successful opening of the hospital some serious differences between the owners and the managing company (Ramsey Sime Darby) caused the termination of the management contract and termination of all contracts of the medical staff.