Dr. Ambarish Gupta Interview
Dr. Ambarish Gupta is a seasoned Transformation and Operations Excellence Leader with over 21 years of experience driving large-scale change, process optimization, and performance improvement across healthcare, insurance, banking, and consulting sectors in the GCC. As Operations Excellence Lead at NAS Neuron Health Services, he champions process engineering, Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and data-driven governance to elevate service quality and operational efficiency. His diverse roles at Cigna, Oman Insurance, NextCare, and Accenture have shaped his expertise in program management, digital transformation, and cross-functional leadership. With advanced certifications and a Doctorate in Business Administration, Dr. Gupta stands out as a strategic thinker who converts organizational vision into measurable outcomes. This interview explores his insights on transformation, technology, leadership, and building a culture of continuous excellence.
The Mindset Powering His Approach
We started the interview by asking, “You’ve led operations excellence for years across healthcare, insurance, and consulting. What core philosophy guides your approach to transformation?”
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “My transformation philosophy is built on one belief: operational excellence is not an initiative, but a culture. Whether in healthcare, insurance, or consulting, sustainable change happens when people, processes, and strategy move in the same direction. I rely heavily on data-driven decision-making, Lean Six Sigma discipline, and strong governance to ensure that every improvement aligns with organizational goals. At NAS Neuron Health, this means simplifying complex workflows, reducing waste, and designing processes that support patient-centric outcomes. I also emphasize transparency and collaboration; the best solutions emerge when cross-functional teams are empowered to challenge old assumptions. Ultimately, transformation succeeds not because of tools, but because people understand the “why,” commit to the journey, and see measurable value in the results.”
Driving Measurable Change
The Arab Today: What has been your most impactful achievement in your role as Operations Excellence Lead at NAS Neuron Health?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “One of my most impactful achievements has been building a structured operations excellence ecosystem that integrates Lean, Six Sigma, and project management rigor into everyday operations. This was not just about running projects,it was about redefining how the organization thinks about quality, performance, and customer value. Through data-driven process redesign and targeted automation, we significantly reduced turnaround times, streamlined care management workflows, and enhanced service consistency across touchpoints. A major accomplishment was establishing clear KPIs and performance dashboards that improved executive decision-making and created accountability across functions. By strengthening collaboration between IT, clinical, and operational teams, we enabled smoother product launches and faster resolution of bottlenecks. The result has been a measurable uplift in efficiency, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfactionpositioning NAS Neuron Health as a leader in operational maturity within the region.”
The impact of cross-sector exposure
The Arab Today: Your career spans major organizations like Cigna, Oman Insurance, Accenture, and NAS Neuron Health. How has this diversity shaped your leadership style?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “Working across global insurers, multinational consultancies, and regional healthcare providers has shaped my leadership style to be adaptive, inclusive, and outcomes-focused. At Accenture, I learned the power of structured methodologies, stakeholder engagement, and disciplined execution. At Cigna and Oman Insurance, I developed a deep appreciation for regulatory complexity, customer expectations, and operational resilience. At NAS Neuron Health, I evolved into a transformational leader who balances strategic foresight with operational detail. This diverse exposure allows me to empathize with different functionsIT, finance, clinical operations, or customer service, and help them converge around a shared vision. My leadership is grounded in trust, transparency, and developing people. I believe teams perform best when they see purpose in their work and have the autonomy to innovate. Ultimately, I lead with clarity, data, and empathy, ensuring that transformation benefits both the organization and its people.”
Balancing Complexity with Structured Execution
The Arab Today: You manage cross-functional teams and large portfolios. What strategies do you use to ensure complex programs stay within scope, time, and quality?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “Managing large portfolios requires a blend of structured governance, proactive communication, and continuous risk visibility. I rely on proven frameworksPMO governance, MSP, PfMP, and Leanto establish clear scope boundaries, milestone tracking, and escalation paths. Every project begins with a detailed charter, aligned KPIs, and a strong stakeholder map to ensure expectations are transparent. I also believe in “no-surprise management”: constant communication and early risk identification prevent small issues from becoming critical delays. Resource loading, dependency mapping, and change impact assessments are central to keeping programs on course. Equally important is empowering project teams with the tools, data, and decision authority they need to deliver results. By combining disciplined structure with agile adaptability, I ensure programs maintain velocity while staying aligned with quality, compliance, and business objectives.”
Where Data Meets Process
The Arab Today: With your expertise in Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and process engineering, how do you identify improvement opportunities in complex organizations?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “Identifying improvement opportunities begins with listeninglistening to customers, employees, partners, and performance data. I use Lean Six Sigma techniques such as value stream mapping, root cause analysis, regression modelling, and process capability studies to extract insights from operational noise. In complex organizations, inefficiencies often hide behind legacy processes, siloed decision-making, or unclear accountability. By conducting Gemba walks, A3 assessments, and cross-functional workshops, we uncover waste, delays, or quality gaps that may be invisible at a managerial level. I also rely on benchmark comparisons and digital maturity assessments to highlight gaps in automation, workflow design, and performance reporting. The goal is not merely to identify problems, but to quantify their impact, prioritize them based on business value, and implement solutions that are scalable, measurable, and sustainable.”
Leveraging Technology to Drive Efficiency
The Arab Today: What role does technology play in enhancing operations excellence in healthcare and insurance environments?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “Technology is one of the most powerful enablers of operational excellence, especially in healthcare and insurance where speed, accuracy, and customer experience are critical. However, technology alone doesn’t guarantee improvement,its true value emerges when processes, data, and people are aligned. At Cigna and NAS Neuron Health, technology allowed us to automate manual workflows, reduce turnaround times, and enhance visibility across processes. From claims automation to digital onboarding to AI-supported decision-making, technology creates consistency and reduces human error. But the real impact comes from integrating these tools into a broader operational strategystreamlined processes, standardized SOPs, clear KPIs, and continuous training. Technology amplifies excellence, but process discipline and change management ensure that digital investments actually deliver measurable value.”
Key Insights from Doctoral Research
The Arab Today: Your doctoral research focuses on factors influencing the success of business process engineering projects in UAE financial services. What early findings have been most insightful?
Dr. Ambarish Gupta replied, “One of the most insightful findings is that technical toolswhile essentialare not the primary drivers of success. Instead, organizational readiness, leadership commitment, and cross-functional alignment have the strongest influence on process engineering outcomes. In UAE’s financial services landscape, regulatory complexity and rapid digital transformation add unique challenges that require robust governance and change management. My research also highlighted that employee engagement and capability building directly correlate with project sustainability; when people feel involved and equipped, process changes last longer and deliver better results. Another key insight is the importance of data maturityorganizations with strong data governance achieve faster, more accurate process redesign. Ultimately, the human and cultural dimensions of transformation are equally, if not more, important than methodological rigor.”
Fostering a Culture of Continuous Operational Excellence
Lastly we asked,“What advice would you give organizations seeking to build a strong operations excellence culture across their teams?”
“Building a strong operations excellence culture begins with leadership ownership and a clear, compelling vision. Organizations must treat excellence not as a one-time initiative but as an operating philosophy woven into strategy, governance, and daily behaviors. My advice is to start smallidentify high-impact processes, deliver quick wins, and use them to build momentum. Invest in capability building through Lean Six Sigma training, coaching, and cross-functional exposure. Establish KPIs that are meaningful, transparent, and linked to strategic outcomes. Encourage teams to experiment, challenge old norms, and adopt a continuous improvement mindset. Most importantly, celebrate progress and make improvement part of everyone’s job, not just an operational team’s responsibility. When organizations align people, processes, and technology around customer-centric value, excellence becomes natural, and results follow consistently.” Dr. Ambarish Guptaconcluded
Connect with Dr. Ambarish Gupta on LinkedIn
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