Dr Sameen Siddiqi is the Professor and Chair, Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan since January 2018. Earlier, he worked for the World Health Organization for 16 years where he served as Director, Health System Development covering the Eastern Mediterranean Region and worked with multiple countries in conflict and complex emergencies. He also spearheaded the work on universal health coverage. Earlier, he was also actively involved in the work of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity. He has also served as WHO’s Representative to Lebanon and Iran. Prior to joining WHO, Dr Siddiqi was associated with the Health Services Academy, Ministry of Health, Pakistan where he was instrumental in developing its educational and research programs. Dr Siddiqi has also worked for the World Bank. Dr Siddiqi has a fellowship in internal medicine, and a master’s degree, fellowship and doctoral degree in public health. He has worked for over two decades advising lower- and middle-income countries on strengthening health systems. He has a special interest in health system governance, private health sector, public-private partnership and quality and safety of care. Dr Siddiqi has multiple publications and book chapters, is a reviewer for several international journals and research funding agencies, and is on the editorial board of peer-reviewed journals. He also serves on several international boards and committees and has been nominated to be on the Senate of Health Services Academy, Islamabad and as a member of the Quality Committee of the WHO’s Global Academy.