Mohamed ElShaarawy, General Manager for the United Arab Emirates at Roche Pharmaceuticals, reflects on the organisation’s role as a long-term healthcare partner aligned with the country’s ambition to build a resilient, data-driven health system. From important local MoUs as well as ongoing collaboration with government stakeholders, ElShaarawy discusses how regulatory openness and ecosystem-wide collaboration are shaping progress in complex areas such as rare neuromuscular conditions. He emphasises the importance of data realisation, sustainable access and talent development, highlighting his view that healthcare must be approached as a long-term investment in societal resilience.
Could you start by outlining the current footprint of Roche in the UAE and highlight the key milestones or achievements that have defined the affiliate in recent years?
Roche’s presence in the United Arab Emirates reflects the nation’s openness and determination to deliver meaningful healthcare impact. Simply put, we are a long-term healthcare partner aligned with the UAE’s ambition to build a resilient data-driven system capable of tackling some of the most complex diseases.
Globally, Roche is uniquely positioned to prevent, stop and cure diseases by combining leading science across medicines, diagnostics and digital solutions. In the UAE, that integrated approach resonates strongly with the national vision. The country is not only focused on access to innovation, but also on outcomes, system performance and long-term sustainability.
One key milestone for us was the 2024 memorandum of understanding with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, focusing on advancing data utilisation and real-world evidence to support more informed clinical and policy decisions. This type of partnership reflects a broader shift: moving from episodic access discussions to long-term value conversations grounded in evidence.
We have also strengthened our focus in high-burden and high-complexity areas such as oncology, neuroscience and rare conditions. In rare neuromuscular disorders like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the emphasis is increasingly on earlier diagnosis, coordinated care and longitudinal outcomes. That evolution defines our affiliate today – not just delivering treatment but contributing to system capability through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The UAE has gained a reputation for its regulatory agility. How would you describe the current environment, particularly regarding the fast-track pathways for innovative therapies?
The UAE has created an environment that is ambitious and pragmatic, extremely forward-looking and, above all, patient focused. There is a strong willingness to engage early on innovation, particularly in areas of high unmet need.
What is important, however, is not simply speed. It is the broader ecosystem readiness. Innovation has the greatest impact when regulatory processes, data infrastructure, care pathways and reimbursement frameworks are aligned. In that respect, the UAE is increasingly thinking holistically.
Authorities are open to dialogue around real-world evidence, outcomes measurement and long-term system impact. This creates space for more meaningful conversations about value and preventative healthcare, especially in areas like rare conditions, where traditional short-term metrics may not capture the full benefit.
For us at Roche, this environment enables us to introduce transformative therapies in a way that is structured, responsible and aligned with patient need. It reflects a shared commitment to tackling the toughest healthcare challenges, not incrementally, but decisively.
Moving into the rare disease space, which you mentioned is highly strategic for Roche, what are the specific challenges or unique factors of operating in this segment within the UAE?
Rare conditions tend to highlight both the strengths and the structural gaps of any healthcare system globally. The scientific advances are significant, but the real challenge remains in identifying patients early, coordinating multidisciplinary care and tracking outcomes over time.
In the UAE, one of the most important enablers is the Emirati Genome Programme. It is building population-level data foundations that can improve understanding of genetic disorders and support earlier diagnosis. For conditions such as SMA and DMD, earlier identification can dramatically alter long-term outcomes.
That said, data generation alone is not enough. We often distinguish between data generation and data realisation. Generation is collecting information. Realisation is ensuring that information informs clinical decisions, shapes care pathways and improves patient journeys. Rare conditions require longitudinal, real-world evidence to truly understand impact.
Operating in this space therefore demands long-term commitment, close collaboration and system-level thinking. It is not about isolated interventions; it is about aligning science, policy and care delivery to create durable change. The UAE’s open and forward-looking approach provides a credible reference point for the wider region in how to approach rare conditions.
How are you building the team’s capabilities to handle the complexities of rare diseases?
Rare conditions require a different type of organisation. The science is complex, the patient populations are small, and the system implications are significant.
We are proud that we build teams that combine deep scientific expertise with data fluency and system awareness. The team must be able to engage confidently with clinicians on disease biology, but also understand health economics, real-world evidence and policy frameworks.
Equally important is mindset. At Roche, our work is guided by the needs of patients and their families and caregivers. That requires empathy, long-term thinking and commitment. Many rare conditions require sustained engagement over years, not quarters.
We invest heavily in capability development because sustaining innovation in complex areas demands leadership, collaboration and integrity. That culture is central to how we operate in the UAE.
Public-private collaboration is increasingly central to healthcare transformation in the UAE. Where do you see the most impactful opportunities for partnership between Roche and government stakeholders today?
Collaboration is not optional in healthcare transformation; it is foundational. No single organisation can address these challenges alone.
Our partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi is a good example. By focusing on real-world evidence and data frameworks, we are contributing to a platform that informs clinical decision-making and policy over time. This moves the conversation beyond individual products toward system capability.
Similarly, our collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre reflects a shared commitment to earlier detection and improved patient outcomes including in non-communicable diseases. These types of partnerships are impactful because they focus on building infrastructure and knowledge, not one-off initiatives.
The greatest opportunity lies in continuing to align science, data and policy ambition. When those elements move together, progress accelerates and long-term value becomes measurable.
The UAE is investing heavily in digital health and AI-driven care models. How is Roche leveraging data, digital tools, and AI to support more precise and proactive healthcare in the country?
Digital health and artificial intelligence are powerful enablers. But their value lies in outcomes, not technology alone.
At Roche, we are committed to unlocking the value of data and digital solutions to improve care across the patient journey. That means supporting the use of real-world evidence to understand how therapies perform in local clinical practice, identify gaps in care and inform earlier intervention.
For rare conditions, data analytics can help uncover patterns in small patient populations and support more consistent, real-world evidence-based decisions. Over time, this enables health systems to move from reactive management to more proactive planning.
Our focus is always on improving outcomes – helping patients live healthier, longer lives – while supporting system sustainability. Digital transformation is a means to that end.
Moving to your team, what makes Roche a great company to work for, and how do you approach talent development in the UAE?
Roche is driven by a clear purpose: doing now what patients need next. That purpose creates alignment and meaning across the organisation.
In the UAE, we operate in a diverse and dynamic environment. The country has a unique ability to attract exceptional talent from across the world, while also being home to outstanding professionals from the GCC and Middle East who bring deep regional insight and commitment. That blend of global expertise and strong local capability is a real strength for us.
We therefore prioritise talent that combines scientific depth, data literacy, collaboration and adaptability. Healthcare is increasingly interconnected, and our teams must think beyond traditional functional boundaries. In the UAE, I am proud of how our colleagues navigate complexity with both technical excellence and cultural intelligence and empathy.
We encourage the team to take ownership, act with integrity and pursue excellence. Innovation in complex disease areas requires courage and commitment, and I see those qualities every day in our teams here. They are deeply committed to patients and to raising the standard of care across the region.
Ultimately, our culture – rooted in integrity, courage and passion – is what differentiates us, and it is our people in the UAE who bring that culture to life.
Looking ahead to 2026-28, what are your top strategic priorities for Roche UAE, and what would success look like for the affiliate in this next phase?
Our priorities are clear.
First, to continue advancing personalised healthcare in areas of high unmet need, particularly in oncology, ophthalmology, neuroscience and rare conditions.
Second, to deepen our contribution to data realisation – ensuring that real-world evidence meaningfully informs care pathways, policy decisions and long-term system planning.
Third, to strengthen collaboration across the ecosystem so that innovation translates into sustainable access and measurable outcomes.
Success in 2028 will not simply be defined by growth metrics. It will be defined by whether patients are diagnosed earlier, whether outcomes have improved, and whether the system is more resilient as a result of our partnerships.
Healthcare must be viewed as a long-term investment in societal resilience. When science, data, and collaboration align, we move closer to preventing, stopping, and curing disease – and to making a real difference to people’s health.
