Interviewed by: Ms Anne Neo, member of CHI FLYING; Centre Manager, Lions Befrienders, Singapore
Dr Abdullahi Sheriff is the Managing Director for Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei at MSD and is part of the CHI Leadership Council. His work focuses on strengthening capabilities, developing talent, and ensuring that MSD’s innovations reach the patients who most need them. His career spans architecture, data science, healthcare consulting, and leadership roles across Europe, the US, Asia, and Africa.
What’s your role? What motivated you to come into healthcare?
I am the Managing Director of MSD for Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. My role centres on three areas: strategy, resource allocation, and talent development. Strategy means defining where we want to be today and over the next decade. Resource allocation is about creating a working environment that supports both our goals and our employees’ wellbeing. Talent development is about helping every individual flourish.
My path into healthcare was not traditional. I trained as an architect and loved the process of listening to clients and designing solutions. That curiosity led me to data information management, construction management, and eventually to GE Healthcare, where I worked with medical devices. This journey brought me to MSD, where I remain today.
What key leadership messages would you share with BMJ Leader readers?
Leadership must be anchored in impact, ethics, and values. We need leaders who remain focused on meaningful outcomes and who apply ethical and moral principles consistently.
I also believe deeply in collaboration. Effective partnerships across public and private sectors, and between clinical and non-clinical colleagues, unlock far greater potential. When we learn from one another and share strengths, innovation accelerates.
How has the pandemic shaped your leadership?
COVID-19 reinforced the critical importance of partnership. At the height of the pandemic in the UK, companies worked together within days to create a model enabling healthcare services to continue beyond hospital walls. The disruption was universal and managing that disruption required collective action. The pandemic showed what is possible when people bring their expertise together with a shared purpose.
What past experiences most inform your leadership?
Several experiences have shaped how I lead today. I now prioritise impact above hierarchy. Within my teams, we focus on developing the right skills and placing people where they can contribute best, regardless of their title.
Context is also essential. A solution that works well in London may not be practical in Singapore but could partially work in São Paulo. Understanding context takes time. As a result, my teams spend 80 percent of their time analysing the problem and 20 percent solving it. This has transformed our ability to create effective and tailored solutions.
What challenges are you facing now?
A key challenge has been balancing strategic ambition with transparent communication. Earlier in my career, my focus on results meant I neglected to explain our philosophy to the team. This created a task-driven culture and weakened trust, particularly with clinical partners.
I now ensure that strategic goals are clearly connected to values and purpose, and that voices across all levels shape our direction. Rebuilding trust taught me the importance of communication, inclusion, and alignment.
Any surprises?
Policy shocks. Operating across Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei means navigating sudden regulatory changes that can dramatically shift our environment. These surprises remind us to stay agile and to balance long-term planning with rapid adaptation.
Are you seeing behaviours from colleagues that inspire you?
Yes. In Singapore, I am encouraged by the collaboration between hospitals, private cancer centres, and government agencies to keep drug lists current and to strengthen health literacy. In Malaysia, I see dedication to addressing affordability challenges through creative solutions.
Across both countries, I am inspired by openness to new service delivery models, such as home-based care and online pharmacies, while also acknowledging digital divides. Our teams are blending scientific expertise with deep local insight, and that inspires me every day.
How do you maintain kindness and compassion?
For 15 years, I have made it a practice to meet customers weekly across the ecosystem. I do this to stay grounded and to avoid living in a bubble. I accompany my team on their visits so I can understand the real challenges they face. These experiences keep me humble and connected to the people we serve.
What actions are you pursuing now to drive sustainable access?
Our industry develops life-changing products, but scientific innovation alone is not enough. Vaccines do not save lives unless vaccination happens. Many barriers limit access, including awareness, system capacity, and affordability. We must partner with health systems to close these gaps.
My work focuses on aligning population needs with our scientific capabilities. Not every breakthrough is relevant everywhere, so we target specific disease areas where our impact can be greatest. Sustainable access requires global insight applied with local nuance.
How do you see technology and CHI supporting health transformation?
CHI is a powerful platform that brings together clinical, non-clinical, public, private, and international expertise. Its strength lies in diversity and the ability to test, track, and scale successful innovations. When we work together with bold goals, we can eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases and develop models that improve population health over the next decade.
How can CHI mobilise organisations across sectors?
CHI can unite people through clear, impactful missions. There is a well-known story of a NASA floor sweeper who said, “I am helping to put a man on the moon.” When purpose is explicit and shared, people converge around it. CHI can play that catalytic role.
What advice do you have for building a culture of sustainability?
Take sustainability seriously and view it holistically. Environmental sustainability is crucial, but so are workforce, governance, and human potential. We need to nurture a wide range of capabilities, not just narrow technical skills. We must also govern ethically for long-term societal benefit rather than short-term gain. Sustainability must encompass people, planet, and organisational integrity.
How can young healthcare professionals start owning the future?
Step outside your comfort zone. Take a secondment if you can. Immerse yourself in adjacent fields, build your networks, and experience health systems from different angles.
And remember that it is never too late to make a difference. Skills and expertise matter, but impact matters most.
What do you look for in future leaders?
Purpose and ethics. I look for those who are driven by impact, willing to walk away when ethics are compromised, and courageous enough to speak up. I value learning agility more than having all the answers. We invest heavily in developing people because we believe in their potential to grow.
This blog is coordinated and contributed by the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Singapore Leading Across the Commonwealth and Beyond captures vital conversations between global health leaders and emerging voices. In this blog, we explore how to redefine how we lead with compassion, connectivity, and courage in an increasingly complex world.
Declaration of Interests
No conflicts of interest to disclose