Dr. Anees Puthan Veettil is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in Drug Development, specializing in pharmaceutical studies and clinical trials. He holds a Pharmacy Post-Graduation in Pharmacology from Dr. MGR Medical University, India, and a specialization in Clinical Research & Regulatory Affairs from York College, Canada.

Dr. Veettil currently leads the Evaluation Unit of Pharmaceutical Studies at the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE. He has expertise in Pharmaceutical Studies Evaluation, Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, R&D, GMP Audits, and Project Management, with experience working with global pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline.

In addition, he is a visiting faculty member at various research and pharmacy institutes and has trained doctors and ethics committees on clinical research.

Dr. Sarah El Samad has nearly 20 years of experience in dermatology and biologics across global and regional role with previous experiences at MSD, Abbvie and Sanofi.

Dr. Sarah now heads the medical strategy for Galderma across the META region bringing deep expertise in biologics and innovation, KOL engagement and evidence generation.

Salmine El Naggar is a Regulatory Affairs & Launch Excellence Lead at Sanofi with over 9 years of experience driving regulatory innovation and shaping regulatory strategies across diverse therapeutic areas in the Greater Gulf region. She led a diverse portfolio spanning multiple therapeutic areas in specialty care and vaccines playing a key role in bringing innovative therapies across the Greater Gulf countries.

In her current role, Salmine leads end-to-end development and execution of regulatory strategies, driving regulatory launch excellence throughout the product development lifecycle and ensuring alignment of the regional priorities with corporate strategies while navigating the evolving regulatory landscape across the Greater Gulf. In this role, she leads initiatives that strengthen the regulatory ecosystem, identify strategic opportunities, and accelerate patient access to innovative medications.

She also leads transformational initiatives focused on digitalization, process optimization, and the adoption of digital tools within Regulatory Affairs strengthening operational effectiveness and enabling more agile regulatory decision-making.

Salmine is committed to advancing patient access to life-changing therapies through fostering collaboration between the industry and regulators to advance and shape the regulatory landscape, advance innovation, and accelerate patient access to breakthrough medications.

Dr. Ahmed Salah is the Regional Patient Safety Manager for Novartis Pharma, leading pharmacovigilance and patient safety operations across the Middle East and Africa. With extensive experience spanning multiple countries, he plays a key role in ensuring compliance, quality, and operational excellence in safety processes across the region.

He collaborates closely with global and regional stakeholders to drive strategic initiatives, optimize safety systems, and strengthen regulatory oversight for diverse across the Middle East and Africa.

With a strong background in pharmacovigilance systems, audit readiness, and risk management, Dr. Ahmed is recognized for his leadership in building robust safety frameworks and advancing a culture of patient safety. His career reflects a consistent focus on continuous improvement, governance, and delivering high-quality outcomes in complex, multi-country environments

Dr. Mariem is a Regulatory Affairs professional with over eight years of experience in the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare industries across the Middle East, currently based in the United Arab Emirates. Her work focuses on regulatory strategy, product registrations, and health authority engagement across GCC and emerging markets.

Throughout her career, Dr. Mariem has managed regulatory submissions, supported product launches, and worked closely with cross-functional teams including R&D, quality, and commercial to ensure compliance and timely market access.

Prior to her current role, she gained valuable experience at Johnson & Johnson and Channel, devloping strong expertise in regulatory processes across both pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare sectors. Dr. Mariem is passionate about enabling access to safe, high-quality products while navigating complex regulatory environments across the region.

Ajay is the Deputy General Manager-Procurement heading Group Procurement at Aster DM Healthcare, one of the GCC’s largest integrated healthcare providers. With over 20 years of leadership experience across the pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and healthcare sectors, he has built a reputation for driving procurement transformation, operational excellence, and resilient supply chain strategies across complex, multi country environments having an experience in 11 countries.

A Chartered MCIPS professional, Ajay has overseen end to end procurement for hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies across the GCC, leading strategic sourcing, supplier governance, cost optimisation, and cross border supply chain operations. His expertise spans category strategy, risk management, digital procurement enablement, and sustainable sourcing frameworks.

Throughout his career, Ajay has partnered with global suppliers, regulators, and healthcare operators to strengthen procurement maturity, embed compliance, and deliver measurable value in high stakes, fast growing markets. Known for his structured thinking and collaborative leadership style, he plays a pivotal role in shaping procurement strategy that supports Aster’s clinical, operational, and expansion priorities.

Ajay frequently contributes to industry discussions on healthcare supply chain resilience, procurement digitisation, ESG integration, and talent development, bringing a practitioner’s perspective grounded in real world execution.

Dr. Faiza Alsharji is a pharmacist at the Medicines and Biologicals Department, Drug Safety Center, Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman. She has professional experience in pharmaceutical regulation, drug safety, pharmacovigilance, and healthcare quality. Her work focuses on ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines and biological products, while supporting patient safety and regulatory excellence initiatives. She is passionate about strengthening healthcare systems, advancing regulatory practices, and promoting public health through evidence-based approaches.

Riya Cao is an award-winning executive with 25 years of distinguished experience spanning technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and government sectors. A recognized authority in traceability and supply chain management, she brings deep expertise in cost-effective compliance, operational automation, and big data analytics.

Riya is the visionary founder and CEO of LSPedia, an Inc. 5000 company and global leader in traceability solutions and Supply Chain Cloud technology. Under her leadership, LSPedia serves a diverse range of clients — including manufacturers, wholesale distributors, third-party logistics providers, health systems, and retail pharmacies — helping them navigate the complex regulatory landscape with confidence and efficiency.

Before founding LSPedia, Riya served as Head of Life Sciences at QAD and held senior leadership roles at Ferndale Labs, TRW, and United Technologies, building a career defined by innovation and cross-industry impact.

Riya is also one of the most influential voices in drug supply chain compliance. Her widely read blogs on DSCSA and pharmaceutical serialization have cultivated a following of more than 10,000 professionals who turn to her for regulatory clarity and actionable industry guidance.

A sought-after speaker, thought leader, and trusted advisor, Riya Cao continues to shape the future of supply chain traceability on a global scale.

Sultan ALGhamdi is a senior healthcare and pharmaceutical affairs leader with 11+ years of experience across Public affairs, regulatory affairs, and scientific office leadership in Saudi Arabia.

He currently serves as Director of Public Affairs & Scientific Office at STADA, where he leads strategic engagement with government stakeholders, oversees regulatory and policy priorities, and drives cross-functional initiatives that support business growth and long-term healthcare objectives. In his role, he works closely with key healthcare and regulatory stakeholders to foster collaboration and advance initiatives aligned with the evolving healthcare landscape in Saudi Arabia.