We are deeply honored to interview the trailblazer Dr. Maliha Hashmi, a global leader in healthcare, wellness, leadership, futurism, and deep tech innovation. Dr. Hashmi’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. A true child prodigy, she began college when others were still in school and her academic excellence spans multiple degrees, including a doctorate from Harvard Law School.
Her accolades are vast: she’s been ranked first among the Top 10 Female Innovators and Leaders globally by Entrepreneur Mirror, and named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Muslims in America by EqualityX. Additionally, Dr. Hashmi has been recognized as one of the Global 200 Women Power Leaders by White Page International and listed among the Top 5 Iconic Women Leaders in Business by The CIO Times. She’s also the recipient of the Women Icon of the Year from the Women Leaders Summit, the Health Leadership Award from Forbes, and the Innovative Health and Wellness Design Award by The Red Awards.
And if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Hashmi recently was also honored with one of New York City’s most prestigious recognitions, the Innovative Health Transformation Leader of the Year Award C3 Summit Davos summit acknowledging her commitment to transforming healthcare on a global scale.
Q. How would you describe the impact of the work that you do?
I approach my work from multiple lenses, as I’m at the intersection of business, law, medicine, futurism, deep tech, and technology. I see everything as a blend of these elements, and the key is finding the right composition to take each initiative to the next step. This multi-lens approach is the reason I’ve been recognized across various disciplines. I wear different hats—whether it’s in law, healthcare, or technology—and through these lenses, I see everything as a collage, where I view each perspective from the stakeholder’s side. This allows me to bring it all together in a way that enables us to provide healthcare for everyone, everywhere, and to build the best systems possible. Ultimately, I call this cross-sectional, multi-lens approach the ‘bliss of health and well-being,’ where wellness, health, and deep tech come together to humanize technology and ensure it serves humanity.
Q. Where do you see the future of healthcare heading?
A. Currently, healthcare faces enormous challenges, particularly with chronic diseases. For example, one in three individuals globally suffers from diabetes or obesity, and the burden on healthcare systems is only increasing. By 2030 or 2040, we’re expected to face a significant shortage of healthcare professionals. The best way to address this is by automating key healthcare processes—through smart hospitals and digitalized systems—where much of the repetitive, administrative tasks are handled by technology. This will give physicians more time to focus on human care. But beyond automation, the future lies in personalized precision healthcare, where treatments are customized to the individual, and patients are empowered as citizens of their own health. The future will be all about delivering tailored care to meet each person’s unique needs, using data-driven insights to inform better outcomes.
Q. I understand you have spoken about digital twins technology as an important part of the future of healthcare, Could you please elaborate on that.
A. The digital twin is essentially a digital version of yourself, created from your genotypic and phenotypic data, your lifestyle, and your genomic information—a concept we call multi-omics. This twin provides a full picture of who you are, which allows for a more precise approach to your healthcare. For instance, let’s say a cancer patient has several treatment options. In the real world, some treatments could lead to severe side effects or even death. But with a digital twin, we can run simulations on this virtual version of the patient, testing treatments in silico before they’re ever applied to the human body. This ensures we choose the best, safest treatment option, improving both the effectiveness of care and the quality of life. We’re increasing the potential for personalized treatment while minimizing risks.
Q. How soon do you think we’ll see this technology become mainstream?
A. I’ve spent the last decade studying healthcare systems worldwide, and initially, I projected that personalized precision care and digital twin technology would be at their peak by 2028. However, the future is unfolding faster than expected. I’ve joined a team working on this project, and I can confidently say the technology is already being implemented with remarkable accuracy—up to 95% and applications to many diseases including some groundbreaking work on cancer. The future isn’t just on the horizon, it’s happening now. It’s an exciting time, as we’re seeing rapid progress in healthcare and well-being that exceeds even our most optimistic forecasts.
Q. How do your artistic and scientific sides complement each other?
A. I like to think of myself as a collision of minds, disciplines, and ideas. I’m not just one thing—I’m a poet, a health leader, a scientist, a businesswoman, a humanist, and a pacifist. My artistic side is just as important as my scientific side because one without the other would feel incomplete. Balancing these two worlds—art and science—enables me to create something bigger. For example, I’m working on one of the world’s largest human performance centers, which will bring together brilliant minds from across various fields—artists, athletes, scientists, and thought leaders. Our goal will be to improve human performance, not just in sports or any single domain, but in terms of mindset, emotional well-being, and intellectual growth, by at least 10%. It’s about elevating the entire human experience, and I believe this balance between art and science is key to that vision.
