The Leadership Team

Rakesh Suri, MD., DPhil, Chief Executive Officer, Chief of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

Rakesh M. Suri, MD, is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In his role, Dr. Suri oversees the hospital’s overall strategy and effective operation as the first-ever US multispecialty hospital to be replicated outside of North America. In his previous role as Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Suri spearheaded the recruitment of more than 400 physicians, and led the medical staff to deliver a suite of complex and innovative services with safety and quality outcomes that are competitive among leading academic medical centers globally.

In his secondary role, Dr. Suri recruited and led the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgical team, and was involved in the creation of robotic and transcatheter cardiac programs at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He holds extensive clinical expertise in robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery, mitral valve repair and transcatheter valve therapies. He has completed more than 6,000 surgical procedures in his career and helped to make Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi home to the most sophisticated group of robotic cardiac surgeons in the world.

Jorge A. Guzman, MD, Chief of Staff

Jorge A. Guzman, MD, MBA, is the Chief of Staff, and a consultant Staff physician in the Critical Care Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Guzman was Cleveland Clinic’s VP of Regional Hospital Medical Operations. Dr. Guzman is a fellow of the American College of Critical Care and led ICU Operations and the development of the ICU telemedicine program (eHospital) at Cleveland Clinic. He was appointed to Cleveland Clinic’s medical staff in 2007.

Dr. Guzman received his medical degree in 1988 from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, in Córdoba, Argentina. After completing his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in critical care medicine at Hospital Privado de Comunidad, Mar del Plata, Argentina, he completed an additional fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Additionally, he completed a Healthcare MBA at Ballwin Wallace University in Ohio. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic, he served as Chief of Medicine at Harper Hospital, the flagship hospital of the Detroit Medical Center in Michigan. Dr. Guzman has served in many leadership positions at Cleveland Clinic and nationally in the US. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 scientific papers in peered-reviewed medical journals, book chapters, and holds two patents registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Madhu Sasidhar, MD, Chief Medical Officer

Madhu Sasidhar, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer and a consultant pulmonologist and intensivist in the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. As Chief Medical Officer, he is responsible for inpatient, outpatient and surgical operations. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Sasidhar was Section Head of Respiratory Care in the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic in the United States, which he joined in 2008.

Dr. Sasidhar received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1992 from the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York, he completed a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Sue Behrens, Acting Chief Clinical and Nursing Officer

Sue Behrens is the Acting Chief Clinical and Nursing Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, overseeing nursing services and patient care.

Sue has been working in a variety of leadership roles at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi since 2014, most recently serving as Interim Chief Nursing Officer.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sue spent more than 25 years working at OSF St Francis Medical Center, an academic medical center in the US, ultimately overseeing Emergency Medicine and Advanced Practice.

Sue is a Fellow of the Executive Fellowship in Innovation Health Leadership, and holds a clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice. Sue maintains her APN license and board certification in adult health, as well as board certification as an Advanced Nurse Executive.

Stephen Abdenour, Chief Operating Officer

Steve Abdenour is Chief Operating Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. As part of the leadership team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Stephen oversees numerous key departments, including facilities, construction, safety, regulatory compliance, emergency management, protective services, parking, environmental services, laundry, food service, supply chain management, and patient hospitality.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Stephen was Senior Vice President of Operations for Cleveland Clinic Akron General, the largest Cleveland Clinic Foundation community hospital.

Stephen received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Akron and holds an MBA from Walsh University. Prior to his career in healthcare, Stephen worked for the United States Navy and in the aerospace field as a design and project engineer, and holds several US patents for military aircraft components.

E. Murat Tuzcu, MD, Chief Academic Officer and Chair of the Heart and Vascular Institute

E. Murat Tuzcu, MD, is Chief Academic Officer and Chair of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In this role, Dr. Tuzcu focuses on the development and implementation of an innovative, creative and state-of-the art research and education strategic plan, and on fostering proactive and collaborative relationships with local, regional, and international stakeholders.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Tuzcu served as Vice Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and as Staff Physician in Interventional Cardiology in the Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic in the United States.

With nearly 40 years of clinical experience, Dr. Tuzcu has held several academic appointments. He has co-authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and serves on the editorial board of a number of leading cardiovascular scientific journals. In 2015, Dr. Tuzcu was named by Thomson Reuters as one of the most highly-cited researchers (Top 1%) in the world for the last decade.

Dr. Tuzcu is a committed educator, devoting a substantial portion of his time to intramural and extramural education activities. He has organized many courses, conferences and lectured all around the world.

Dr. Tuzcu received his medical degree from Istanbul Medical Faculty in Istanbul, Turkey, where he also completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine. In addition, Dr. Tuzcu also completed his fellowships at Cleveland Clinic in the United States in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology. He also completed a special fellowship for valvular interventions at Massachusetts General Hospital.

C. Okey Agba, Chief Financial Officer

C. Okey Agba is Chief Financial Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In his role, Okey oversees the financial responsibilities of the hospital, including general and financial accounting as well as the hospital’s revenue cycle. Okey has 30 years of finance experience, 20 of them in the healthcare financial management sector, having worked for several renowned US healthcare institutions, all of them in Boston, Massachusetts.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2016, Okey served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, at Tufts Medical Center where he directed all financial functions, both strategic and operational. Okey had previously served as Associate Dean of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, at Harvard Medical School where he was responsible for overseeing the overall fiscal functions of the medical school. Additional senior financial management responsibilities include roles at Brigham and Women’s Healthcare and Partners HealthCare System, Inc.

Okey holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana, and a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Okey resides in Abu Dhabi, and enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, and fishing, and is looking forward to learning to play golf.

Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Chief Administrative Officer

Hasan joined Mubadala in 2007 and is currently the Chief Administrative Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, in addition to overseeing the hospitality portfolio of Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure.

In his role as Chief Administrative Officer, Hasan oversees several key departments, including Continuous Improvement, Business Intelligence, the Strategic Programs and Integration Office as well as the Office of Facilitated Access. As part of the executive team, Hasan also works with the CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to coordinate the hospital’s strategy, innovation programs, as well as key drivers to maximize revenue and reduce costs while maintaining quality of care.

Throughout his 10-year journey at Mubadala, Hasan has held several management roles and has been tasked with overseeing real estate projects across the United States, Asia and the Middle East, including leading international hospitality brands and operators such as the Viceroy, Four Seasons and Rosewood Hotels. Hasan remains engaged with hospitality as the Chairman of the Board for Rosewood Abu Dhabi Hotel and the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi Hotel. He is also a board member of the Viceroy Hotel Group.

Prior to joining Mubadala, Hasan worked for the office of H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In addition, he worked for Ernst & Young as an external auditor, and his family business, the Rotana Hotel Group.

Hasan is a finance graduate from the American University in Washington D.C., and has acquired Real Estate and Hospitality Investment Certification from Cornell University.

Nizar Luqman, Chief Human Capital Officer

Nizar Luqman is the Chief Human Capital Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where he leads the development and execution of the organization’s human capital strategy and initiatives in-line with the hospital’s overall “Patients First” mission and strategic direction.

In his role, Nizar focuses on attracting, developing and retaining top talent at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi by providing educational and training opportunities to empower caregivers to make a continual impact on the healthcare sector. As part of the hospital’s commitment to fostering UAE National talent, Nizar leads Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s efforts to enhance existing development programs and promote career growth for Emirati nationals. Additionally, Nizar is working to further develop the existing human capital infrastructure at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, as well as extend the learning environment beyond the workplace.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Nizar was the Head of Emiratization, Human Capital, at Mubadala Investment Company, with oversight of the company’s Emiratization strategy and implementation criteria. In this role, he was responsible for aligning the company and its assets with the government’s strategic vision for Emiratization.

Previously, Nizar was the Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute. Nizar has held different positions in the oil & gas industry and taught chemical engineering at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi.

Nizar holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville USA.

Wayne Keathley, Senior Advisor to the CEO

Wayne Keathley is the Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In his role as Senior Advisor, Wayne focuses on organizational effectiveness and change management, while driving and aligning the organization towards its mission and vision to support the further development of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Wayne was the inaugural President and CEO of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center from 2014 to 2016, and the President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City from 2003 to 2013. Wayne is also the Associate Dean for Global Health at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Wayne has a Master’s degree from Columbia University in the US and a Master’s degree in International Strategy and Diplomacy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Michael Makarem, General Counsel

Michael Makarem is the General Counsel at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where he oversees the hospital’s legal, regulatory and governance matters.

He is also the General Counsel at Mubadala Healthcare. Since joining Mubadala in 2010, he has held various roles, including at Yahsat and as General Counsel of MDC Business Management Services. He is a California-licensed attorney with 13 years of experience in complex transactions, litigation and corporate governance.

Before joining Mubadala, Michael was the Legal Counsel for OSN in Bahrain and, prior to that, was an attorney with AlvaradoSmith APC in the US.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the State and Federal District Courts in California.

Dana Kassissieh, Senior Director, Administrative Affairs & Patient Experience

Dana Kassissieh is Senior Director for Administrative Affairs & Patient Experience at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In her role, Dana is responsible for external and internal governance, and ensuring strategic alignment between management and the rest of the organization. She also oversees the hospital’s patient experience program, which supports the mission of bringing Cleveland Clinic quality care to Abu Dhabi.

Dana previously served as Senior Manager for Strategy at Dubai Healthcare City, a healthcare-focused free zone. In this role, she co-led the development of a comprehensive clinical plan, by analyzing population demographics and disease burdens to assess the current and future gaps in the provision of healthcare services in the Emirate. She has also held positions at leading pharmaceutical companies in the United States and Abu Dhabi.

Dana completed her undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She has a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, as well as Highlights of an MBA from Columbia Business School.

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