Shaista Asif, co-founder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding, now heads the most valuable healthcare brand portfolio in the Middle East. Brand Finance’s UAE 50 and Middle East 150 rankings for 2026 placed PureHealth at the top, with a combined brand value of AED 11 billion, a 23 percent increase from the previous year.
The results came alongside the group’s first-quarter 2026 financials. PureHealth posted revenue of AED 7.3 billion for Q1 2026, up 10 percent year-on-year. EBITDA reached AED 1.2 billion, a 5 percent increase. Net profit stood at AED 415 million.
In a statement on the results, Asif said the group remains focused on its integrated model across care delivery, insurance, and clinical services. “As we continue to expand internationally, we remain focused on scaling this model and accelerating innovation in AI-enabled care and consumer solutions,” she said.
Shaista Asif Named PureHealth Group CEO Ahead of ADX Listing
Asif co-founded PureHealth in 2006 and has spent 16 of her more than 22 years of professional experience in the healthcare sector. She was named Group CEO as part of a leadership restructure ahead of PureHealth’s listing on the First Market of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. PureHealth founder Farhan Malik moved to the role of Managing Director.
Malik said in a statement at the time: “Shaista is a dynamic, value-driven business leader who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the global health industry.”
Forbes Middle East named Asif the number one healthcare leader across the region in its 2023 list of the 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen.
PureHealth Acquisitions: SEHA, Daman, and Circle Health UK
PureHealth grew its portfolio through a series of major acquisitions. The group took over Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA), the National Rehabilitation Center, and the National Health Insurance Company (Daman). It also acquired a stake in Ardent Healthcare in the United States.
The largest transaction was the acquisition of Circle Health Group in the United Kingdom, the first time a UAE-based group acquired a UK healthcare provider. The deal was valued at more than AED 4.4 billion, equivalent to approximately USD 1.2 billion. PureHealth has since added Hellenic Healthcare Group to its international holdings.
Three PureHealth subsidiaries ranked among the UAE’s top 10 strongest brands across all sectors in the 2026 Brand Finance report. Daman placed seventh with a brand value of AED 1.2 billion, up 19 percent year-on-year. SEHA ranked ninth at AED 3.61 billion, up 21 percent. Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City came in tenth at AED 1.2 billion, up 50 percent from 2025.
Shaista Asif directed two AI product launches at PureHealth. The group released Pura, described as the region’s first AI-backed healthcare companion app, and PureNet, a dedicated healthcare cloud platform for digital health delivery across the network.
PureHealth also committed to net zero emissions by 2040 and joined the United Nations-backed Race to Zero initiative.
Asif organized the Remarkable Emirati Women summit under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, and played a central role in the launch of the Emirati Women Chapter, a mentorship program for Emirati women in business and leadership.
PureHealth is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operates across the UAE, the United Kingdom, Greece, and the United States. The group’s international portfolio, including Circle Health and Hellenic Healthcare, contributed to Q1 2026 growth alongside its core UAE operations. Asif said the international segment continues to scale and support PureHealth’s long-term global expansion strategy.
