Sami is a seasoned technology executive and managing director with over 35 years of experience across various industries and continents. Throughout his career, he has served in roles such as CIO, MD, executive coach, and consultant. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Computer Engineering, an MBA, a master’s degree in quality management, and a GAICD Company Directors Certificate.
Sami actively participates in multiple boards and committees, leveraging his expertise to contribute to their strategic direction. He is also a certified life/professional coach, assisting CIOs, IT Executives, and professionals from diverse business domains in achieving their goals.
Prior to his consultancy work, Sami spent 17 years with Bupa, where he was a key member of the executive team for Bupa APAC. During his tenure, he served as APAC CIO, overseeing all technology operations and transformation programmes across the Asia Pacific region. He was also appointed as interim managing director for Bupa’s Health Services division in 2022.
In this role, Sami was responsible for managing Bupa’s health businesses, which included dental, optical, and hearing services, as well as medical visa services for the Department of Home Affairs and advisory services for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Australian Defence Forces health services. Additionally, he led the digital healthcare service Blua, overseeing a portfolio with over $1 billion in revenue and more than 5000 medical employees.
Throughout his tenure at Bupa, Sami spearheaded numerous technology transformations and played a pivotal role in delivering high-quality technology services to support Bupa’s operations.
Outside of Bupa, Sami serves on various boards and advisory committees, including HBF Health Insurance, Healthcare’s main board, a Large School Group, the Strategic Advisory board of eHealth NSW, Optus, Cyber Security Advisory Board of Deakin University, and the Digital board sub-committee of Yourtown/Kids Helpline. He is also actively involved in community working groups and not-for-profit organisations, aiming to make meaningful contributions to society.
Sami’s achievements have been recognised by the industry, as evidenced by his ranking as the #1 Australian CIO of 2022 by CIO50 and consistently ranking within the top positions since the establishment of CIO50. Currently, Sami provides consultancy and advisory services to businesses and boards on their transformation programmes while continuing to coach CIOs, IT Executives, and their teams to excel in their roles.