Multifaceted and result-oriented leader with expertise in public policy and driving growth across Middle East

Yacoub Shomali is a seasoned professional dedicated to shaping data-driven strategies that deliver measurable social and economic impact. He currently serves as Director of Healthy Living Intelligence at the Abu Dhabi Department of Health - the Emirate’s central entity for health promotion and preventive care.

In his role, he oversees the design and implementation of the Healthy Living Strategy, driving interventions across 14 policy levers to enhance physical activity, improve dietary habits, and foster mental well-being. Yacoub also leads the creation of evaluation and performance frameworks, integrating real-time data analytics to track progress and optimize outcomes across multiple entities and initiatives.

Before joining the Department of Health, Yacoub led the Economic Analytics and Impact Evaluation vertical at the Ideation Center at Strategy&, where he worked with GCC governments and development entities to design impact evaluation functions, build analytical tools, and assess the economic and social returns of public policies. His work spanned social policy, sports infrastructure, digital economy, and fiscal sustainability—strengthening the region’s capacity for evidence-based decision-making.

At Rain, he also managed the company’s public policy function, driving the company’s engagement with key regulatory stakeholders in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Prior to that, he was a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group, where he spearheaded digital and organizational transformations for a public entity in the GCC, navigating evolving business environments and elevating performance through strategic stakeholder engagement and change management.

Yacoub’s expertise lies in connecting rigorous analysis with strategic foresight. With a background in economics and public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, he continues to champion approaches that leverage data, analytics, and evaluation to create lasting, measurable change.