Erik Koornneef is a global healthcare executive with nearly 30 years of international experience across healthcare regulation, health system reform, research infrastructure, and digital innovation. Most recently he served as Director of Research and Education at The Medical Office, a Pure Health company, where he managed clinical research, medical education, AI pilot programmes, and large-scale operational transformation across a major hospital network in the UAE.
Previously, Erik held senior leadership and advisory roles with SEHA, Pure Health Group, the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Malaffi (Abu Dhabi Health Information Exchange), the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and IBM Watson Health. His work spans the establishment of national quality and performance frameworks, clinical trials infrastructure, health information exchange, and the governance of AI and data-driven healthcare systems.
He holds a PhD in Health Policy and Management from Erasmus University Rotterdam and master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin and Radboud University Nijmegen. An active researcher and educator, he serves as Adjunct Faculty at UAE University and Course Director for the IHF, and has published widely on health system reform, workforce development, digital health, and sustainability.