A Year of Learning, Listening, and Growing with WISH at Qatar Foundation
Dr Slim Slama, CEO WISH
It has now been a whole year since I embarked on this momentous journey as Chief Executive Officer of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) at Qatar Foundation. Time, as is often said here in Qatar, flows “like the wind across the dunes”—swift, unceasing, and impossibly rich with potential. Every day in this extraordinary organisation, I am reminded of the wisdom embedded within this land: “He who has no past, has no present.” The story of WISH is a testament to both the strength of tradition and the audacity of vision.
When I first took on this responsibility, the direction from the leadership of Qatar Foundation was clear yet ambitious: to transition WISH from a globally acclaimed health summit into a fully-fledged international policy centre, one that not only convenes but also actively shapes the contours of health policy worldwide— all while retaining the much-cherished WISH Summit as our flagship. I recall my earliest meetings with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, and Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, now Vice Chairperson and then CEO, where I witnessed first-hand the depth of their vision—not merely for WISH or the Foundation, but for a world made better through determined, meaningful engagement in global health. Their counsel impressed upon me the critical role of leadership that dreams boldly and acts with precision—a vision that transcends the immediately possible and seeks to shape the improbable.
As I reflect, it’s the openness and dedication of the broader QF family—an inspiring network of fifty-seven entities united in the pursuit of human advancement through science, education, the arts and faith—that have marked this inaugural year as one of constant discovery and transformation. My mandate was not simply to preserve excellence, but to reimagine it. The path we have set for WISH in this new era is intentionally phased, informed by a series of extensive consultations with partners, stakeholders, and, in particular, those within our QF community. The resulting roadmap is grounded in purpose and spans three, six, and nine-year horizons. Each phase builds upon what has come before, ensuring continuity while embracing the dynamic complexity of the health policy landscape.
No leader walks alone. In this transition, I am profoundly indebted to our Steering Committee—under the wise chairmanship of Lord Professor Ara Darzi and the inimitable support of Co-Chair Professor Hasnah—whose navigation of policy spaces in Qatar and beyond has opened many doors and furnished me with invaluable perspective. I must also acknowledge the entire committee and its esteemed members for their trust, candour, and enduring support in these uncharted waters. Their generosity of spirit and readiness to steer and steady have made my journey of adaptation far more navigable.
A highlight of the year was, without doubt, participating in WISH’s seventh global summit—WISH7—welcoming over four thousand policymakers, practitioners, and innovators from around the world. In those bustling halls, the vibrant energy of global health was palpable. To reconnect with former colleagues, including my former boss, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, brought home the enduring bonds forged in pursuit of shared hope. The summit was not simply an event; it was a living testament to what WISH, at its core, represents—the conviction that dialogue, collaboration, and determination can spark progress against any challenge, regardless of its complexity.
Yet, these summits, stirring as they are, now serve an even larger institutional purpose. They act as launchpads for the centre’s ongoing work—amplified through partnerships, research initiatives, and policy dialogues that extend far beyond any single gathering. It is in the day-to-day, sometimes unseen, work that our transformation truly gathers momentum.
Integral to this has been the strategic recruitment of world-class talent, most notably the appointment of our new Directors of Policy and Content, as well as Partnerships and Outreach. These roles have injected fresh expertise, diverse perspectives, and renewed drive into our collective work. But more than recruitment, we’ve embraced a philosophy of complementing and mentoring—investing in a team culture that blends continuity with new ideas. Realising WISH’s renewed vision cannot rest on one person or plan alone; it demands that we dream big together. And for that, we need others—talented, committed individuals who bring curiosity, purpose, and generosity to our shared journey.
Transformational change is often spoken of in terms of vision and ambition, but it is operationalised through people, through the steady layering of trust and expertise. Building a new centre of global policy influence requires more than just a name or reputation; it calls for the deliberate, even painstaking, cultivation of coalitions—complex, evolving, and deeply human. Here at WISH, partnership is not a slogan but a living principle. Over the past twelve months, we have initiated strategic partnerships with leading think tanks and centres of excellence worldwide. These coalitions, grounded in mutual respect and shared purpose, form the backbone of WISH’s future impact.
Qatar, itself a bridge between worlds, has provided fertile ground for such coalition-building. Nowhere is this more evident than in WISH’s participation in the Strategic Dialogue between Qatar and WHO, alongside the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Fund for Development, Qatar Charity, and other distinguished partners. The invitation to WISH to participate in these seminal discussions was a signal of trust from my government counterparts and a recognition of the added value that WISH can bring as a catalyst for policy innovation.
A particularly meaningful moment for me this year was celebrating the 30th anniversary of Qatar Foundation, a landmark event that brought together the entire QF community to reflect on three decades of transformative impact in education, science, research, and community development. Held on the historic site of Al Shaqab—the very grounds of the 1893 Battle of Al Wajbah, a defining moment in Qatar’s history—the event was steeped in heritage and purpose. It was an honour to attend alongside His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, and Her Excellency Sheikha Hind. I was privileged to be seated next to His Excellency Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, newly appointed Minister of Public Health, with whom I had a valuable exchange on the future of Qatar’s health system. We discussed his bold ambitions to lead transformative reforms—from strengthening the Ministry’s stewardship role and regulatory capacity to digitising care and advancing health insurance reform. That evening reminded me how deeply rooted Qatar’s present aspirations are in its historical legacy—and how WISH can help shape the next chapter of that story.
Whether moderating discussions at the QRDI Pavilion during the Doha Web Summit, steering panels at Sidra Medicine’s pioneering AI & Medicine conference, or judging student innovations at HBKU, I’ve been energised by the intellectual generosity that defines life at QF.
It is said here, “We are all leaves from the same tree,” and nowhere is that truer than in Education City—the beating heart of the Qatar Foundation ecosystem, where ideas meet, meld, and take root. Working alongside the Education City family and collaborating with three other dynamic policy centres—the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), Earthna, and the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)—has only reinforced my belief that transformation does not occur in silos but through intentional, interdisciplinary endeavour. Attending summits hosted by DIFI and Earthna was both enriching and deeply inspiring. Each encounter reminded me that innovation in health policy cannot succeed without the crosscurrents of scholarship from education, family, environment, and technology. I eagerly await the WISE summit, which is just a few months away.
As the first year has unfolded, the sense of welcome and inclusion from colleagues across QF and from every corner of Doha has been heart-warming. It is in shared cups of coffee, in impromptu strategy sessions, and countless informal exchanges that the real work—the camaraderie, the creativity—takes place. I am especially grateful to the colleagues at WISH who have walked this path alongside me, blending continuity with a willingness to innovate, respecting the strengths of our past while fearlessly shaping the future. Each morning, I arrive at our offices eager to see, to listen, to learn. The energy of this team is infectious. QF is often described as a family; to me, it truly feels like one.
Looking ahead, I am invigorated by all that remains to be done. This year has been about laying foundations, listening intently, and setting bold intentions on solid ground. The next phase for WISH is defined by building new partnerships—across geographies and disciplines—and steering the centre towards a space where it not only convenes the great minds of global health but translates ideas into actionable policy that serves the next generation. If my time among engineering and social innovation students at HBKU has taught me anything, it is that the future belongs not only to those who anticipate tomorrow’s needs but also to those who are attuned to its wants and aspirations. WISH must become—as we are becoming—a home for both.
Our undertaking is not modest, but it is made humbler by the knowledge that what we seek here in Qatar Foundation is nothing less than to serve humanity. The spirit of ambition is strong here. It is a spirit that channels its energies through education, research, and the building of coalitions across sectors and continents. My gratitude to the leadership of QF is profound; their trust in both the mission of WISH and in my capacity to lead it is something I shall never take for granted.
Change, even welcome change, is rarely easy. But as the Qatari proverb teaches us: “Patience is the key to relief.” With a patient hand and a deliberate heart, WISH has entered its next chapter. Our mission is clear. Our family—across QF and the world—is only growing. And in every conversation, every convening, and every partnership forged, the core conviction endures: together, we can engineer a healthier future, not just for ourselves but for all.
To everyone who welcomed me in this first year—my QF colleagues, the WISH Steering Committee, our partners old and new, and especially the always-inspiring people of Qatar—thank you. The journey continues. And for WISH, the best is yet to come, God willing (inshallah).
