Boston, Mass. — The Institute for Healthcare Improvement has appointed Amar Shah, MBBS, FRCPsych, LLM, MA, MBA, MBE, as Chief Scientific Officer, making him the organization’s first executive appointment from outside the United States.
Dr. Shah had served as Interim Chief Scientific Officer since July 2026 and was selected for the permanent role following an executive search.
“Amar combines deep expertise in improvement science with an international perspective shaped by years of leadership across complex health systems,” said Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, President and CEO of IHI. “He has spent his career helping health systems turn evidence into meaningful results, and his leadership will help ensure that IHI continues to innovate, learn, and drive improvement in partnership with communities around the world.”
Before joining IHI, Dr. Shah served as National Clinical Director for Improvement at NHS England, where he led large-scale healthcare improvement efforts. He also spent more than a decade as Chief Quality Officer at East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr. Shah previously chaired IHI’s Scientific Advisory Group and has served as a faculty member with the organization. His work has focused on improvement science, quality management and health system transformation.
“The science of improvement has taught us a great deal, but the translation of that knowledge into the hands of those who need it most remains the defining challenge,” Dr. Shah said. “The problems health systems face today are outpacing the solutions we have. IHI has the credibility, relationships, and methods to shape what improvement science itself becomes — to push the boundaries of evidence, innovation, and application in ways that reach more people, more equitably, than ever before.”
As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Shah will lead development of IHI’s multi-year scientific agenda and establish standards for large-scale improvement programs. He will also oversee the organization’s Improvement Science Hub and its innovation system and help formalize IHI’s product development and management processes.
His appointment follows the naming of Dr. Ronald Wyatt as IHI’s Chief Medical Officer and strengthens the organization’s clinical and scientific leadership.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is a nonprofit organization focused on improving healthcare quality, safety and outcomes worldwide.
