From a Medical College to a Healthcare Ecosystem | Global TV
NV Paulose , Chairman, Global TV +91 98441 82044
In 1997, when the UAE was rapidly emerging as a global centre for business and innovation, a young entrepreneur, Dr. Thumbay Moideen, embarked on a journey that would eventually grow into one of the region’s most diversified business groups.
Today, 29 years later, Thumbay Group stands as a multifaceted UAE-based conglomerate with a strong presence in healthcare, medical education, research, diagnostics, pharmacy, wellness, hospitality, retail, technology, media, real estate and other sectors. Its journey is a story of entrepreneurship, diversification and, above all, a commitment to innovation.
The origins of Thumbay Group are closely connected with education.
In 1997, Dr. Thumbay Moideen established the UAE’s first private medical college in Ajman. The institution later developed into Gulf Medical University (GMU), which was formally established in 1998. From the beginning, the vision was larger than simply creating an educational institution: it was about contributing to the development of healthcare professionals and strengthening the UAE’s healthcare ecosystem.
As the university grew, a practical challenge emerged: medical students needed access to quality clinical training. The answer was to build teaching hospitals.
That decision became the foundation of Thumbay’s healthcare division and eventually transformed the group from an education-focused initiative into an integrated academic healthcare system.
Building an Integrated Academic Health System
Over the years, the Thumbay brand expanded through hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and pharmacies.
Today, the group says its healthcare division operates seven academic hospitals, family clinics and medical centres, diagnostic laboratories and a large retail pharmacy network. Its hospitals serve patients from more than 175 nationalities, supported by a multicultural workforce.
One of the most significant milestones in this journey was Thumbay Medicity in Ajman, launched in 2019. The integrated development brings together medical education, healthcare and research, including Thumbay University Hospital, Thumbay Dental Hospital and Thumbay Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital.
This model represents one of Thumbay Group’s defining strengths: connecting education, healthcare and research rather than treating them as separate businesses.
Students can learn within an academic environment, healthcare professionals can work within teaching hospitals, and research can contribute to better clinical practice. It is an ecosystem built around the idea that education and healthcare should continuously strengthen each other.
A Portfolio That Goes Beyond Healthcare
While healthcare remains at the heart of Thumbay Group, the organisation has grown well beyond hospitals and universities.
The group today describes itself as operating across 26 brands and multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, medical research, diagnostics, retail pharmacy, health communications, optical retail, wellness, hospitality, real estate, publishing, technology, media, events and medical tourism.
The brands displayed across the group’s corporate portfolio illustrate this diversification. They include Gulf Medical University, Thumbay Hospitals, Thumbay University Hospital, Thumbay Dental Hospital, Thumbay Labs, Thumbay Pharmacy, Thumbay Clinic, Thumbay Medical Tourism, Body & Soul Health Club, Thumbay Media, Thumbay Builders, The Thumbay Shop and other businesses serving different aspects of healthcare, lifestyle and the wider community.
This diversification has allowed the Thumbay name to become more than a healthcare brand. It has developed into an ecosystem of businesses connected by a common philosophy.
Growth Through Innovation
The phrase “Growth through Innovation” has long been associated with Thumbay Group.
That philosophy is particularly visible in the organisation’s evolution. Rather than remaining focused on one business, Thumbay has repeatedly identified opportunities around its core strengths and developed new services around them.
Medical education led to teaching hospitals. Healthcare created demand for diagnostics and pharmacies. The wider healthcare ecosystem created opportunities in wellness, medical tourism, technology, communications and other supporting industries.
This approach has enabled the group to build a network in which many of its businesses complement one another.
Nearly Three Decades of Impact
After 29 years, the scale of the organisation is reflected not only in the number of businesses it operates but also in the people it serves.
Thumbay Group currently reports around 3,000 employees, more than 5,000 students, patients from 175 nationalities, and approximately 19 million patients treated across its healthcare journey.
Behind those figures are doctors, nurses, academics, researchers, administrators, students, technicians, entrepreneurs and other professionals who have contributed to the organisation’s growth.
The group’s journey also mirrors the UAE’s own development. The country’s transformation into a global destination for healthcare, education, business and innovation has provided an environment in which ambitious private-sector organisations could develop new models and serve increasingly international communities.
Looking Toward the Next Chapter
Reaching 29 years is a milestone, but for an organisation built around innovation, it is also a point from which to look forward.
The healthcare industry is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, digital health, advanced diagnostics, precision medicine, longevity science and new approaches to medical education are reshaping the sector.
For Thumbay Group, the next phase will be about how effectively it can use its existing ecosystem to participate in that transformation.
Its combination of medical education, hospitals, research, diagnostics, technology and supporting businesses gives it a foundation from which to pursue that next generation of healthcare and education.
29 Years of a Vision
From a single medical education initiative in Ajman in 1997 to a diversified international group with operations spanning dozens of brands and sectors, Thumbay Group’s story is ultimately a story of vision followed by execution.
The organisation began with an idea: contribute to the future of healthcare by investing in medical education. Nearly three decades later, that idea has evolved into an integrated ecosystem encompassing universities, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, clinics, wellness, technology, media and more.
As Thumbay Group celebrates 29 years in the UAE, its journey demonstrates what can happen when education, entrepreneurship and innovation are brought together with a long-term vision.
And if the first 29 years were about building the ecosystem, the next chapter may be about redefining what that ecosystem can achieve.
From 1997 to 2026, the journey continues — with growth through innovation.
