Professor Shafi Ahmed is a world-renowned surgeon, medical futurist, innovator, entrepreneur, and one of the most influential voices shaping the future of healthcare, surgical education, and immersive medical technology.
A practicing Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgeon at The Royal London and St Bartholomew’s Hospitals, Professor Ahmed combines frontline clinical excellence with a bold vision for how emerging technologies can transform medicine at global scale. His clinical expertise spans colorectal cancer, endometriosis, and complex abdominal wall hernia, while his academic work includes a PhD focused on the genetics of colorectal cancer, completed in New Jersey and London.
Beyond surgery, Professor Ahmed has become a global pioneer in the use of XR, virtual reality, 5G, digital health, and the metaverse to democratize access to medical training. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Medical Realities, an award-winning XR medical education company, and was appointed Chief Medical Metaverse Officer at AIMEDIS, helping shape one of the world’s first health metaverse initiatives.
His global influence extends far beyond the operating theatre. A 3x TEDx speaker, Professor Ahmed has delivered more than 300 keynotes across 35 countries, inspiring healthcare leaders, governments, technology companies, and medical institutions to rethink how medicine is taught, delivered, and scaled. He has received multiple professorships and honorary doctorates, and in 2020 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work in conflict zones.
Professor Ahmed is also deeply involved in shaping healthcare policy and innovation. He is a member of the NHS Assembly, advising on the NHS long-term plan, and has previously advised the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Health. He serves as the Vodafone Connected Health 5G Ambassador for the UK, sits on the board of The Centre for Health, a Vodafone and Deloitte joint venture, and advises international health innovation initiatives connected to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
As an entrepreneur and ecosystem builder, he co-founded GIANT Health, the largest medtech conference in the UK, founded Surgery International, and launched the Barts X Medicine Programme while Associate Dean at Barts Medical School — embedding future technologies, innovation, and entrepreneurship into medical education.
Through the Shafi Ahmed Foundation International, he continues to advance his humanitarian mission: expanding access to healthcare, supporting communities in need, and making high-quality medical training available to people regardless of geography or privilege.
For Webit 2026 Sofia, Professor Shafi Ahmed brings a truly exceptional perspective on the future of healthcare: how AI, XR, 5G, digital platforms, and immersive technologies can transform medical education, democratize expertise, and build more inclusive, scalable, and human-centered health systems. His presence would strongly resonate with senior executives, policymakers, investors, healthcare leaders, and technology innovators looking to understand how the next decade of medicine will be shaped.