Across the IHF’s network, we believe that well-managed hospitals improve health outcomes for everyone, everywhere. Strong leadership skills are fundamental to healthcare management. And, in an increasingly international setting, benefitting from shared knowledge and experience can transform organizational performance.

Since 2019, the IHF has offered an annual programme for selected young executives to improve their management and leadership skills, and to network internationally.

Between February and September participants attend a series of masterclasses in key healthcare leadership areas. Small group work to complete topical assignments are an opportunity for the selected young executives to share their insights across our global community. The capstone experience for participants is attending the annual World Hospital Congress, where they graduate to the YEL Alumni network.

In this episode, Taylor Johanssen (YEL 2021), sat down with Moustafa Abdelwahab (YEL 2022), Hiba Al Naabi (YEL 2019), Jim Houser (YEL 2021) and Abel Tesfaye (YEL 2023) to talk about their experience and about how the programme helped them in their career journey.

Taylor Johansen

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Canada

Taylor Johansen

Director, Neurodevelopmental Health

Taylor is CHEO Director in Child Development and Community Services and Head of the department of Autism. She is a YEL Alumni (2021).

Healthcare Facilities Quality Division | Healthcare Facilities Sector
Department of Health Abu Dhabi

Dr Moustafa Abdelwahab

Section Head of Performance Improvement and Reporting
Young Executive Leaders 2022 and YEL Alumni Advisor 2025

IHF Member: Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Focusing on performance management, clinical operations, patient safety, quality improvement, science and technology for healthcare delivery.

Cleveland Clinic, USA

James Houser

Interim Executive Director, Institute Administration
Young Executive Leaders 2021

Experience in hospital administration. quality and clinical effectiveness, and critical care nursing.

Hiba

The Royal Hospital, Oman

Hiba Al Naabi

Senior member of the Quality & Patient Safety team
Young Executive Leaders 2019

At the largest tertiary care hospital in Oman. Hiba has a great passion for healthcare leadership and project management for patient safety.

Yanet General Hospital, Ethiopia

Dr Abel Tesfaye

Surgeon and General Manager
Young Executive Leaders 2023

General manager and surgeon, working as clinician, a researcher and a hospital administrator.

News & insights

Look into our latest...

King Faisal Hospital Rwanda and IHF begin five-year sustainability partnership

The International Hospital Federation (IHF) and King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR) have begun a new five-year partnership to strengthen sustainable...

GSC and IHHN: Partnering to transform healthcare in Pakistan

The Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) in Pakistan joined the IHF this year and began working with the Geneva...

IHF’s Geneva Sustainability Centre at the 8th HCAC Conference in Jordan

On 26 November 2025, the Geneva Sustainability Centre was represented by Aditi Jayaram, at the 8th Healthcare Accreditation Council Conference...

How do hospitals in different countries balance short-term cost pressures against long-term investment needs? (YEL 2026)

Authors: Felipe Jordan (Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil), Fleur de Groot (Horacio Oduber Hospital, Aruba), Ida...

LEADSAFE: A transformational leadership framework for patient and healthcare worker safety (YEL 2026)

Authors: Warda Abdul Jabbar (Evercare Hospital Lahore, Pakistan), Anthony James Almazan (Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Philippines), Laili Fathiyah...

Beyond digital: Rethinking the future of healthcare in the age of AI (YEL 2026)

Authors: Abeer Al Hinai (Royal Hospital, Oman), Rosie Batty (Guys & St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, UK), Carissa Gilbert (NHS...