Bilal Mateen

Dr Bilal Mateen is the Executive Director for Digital Square, a global initiative that supports digital health transformation in low- and middle-income countries. In this role, he supports ministries of health across Africa and Asia with effective planning, procurement, and implementation of technology to help address the global health equity gap.

Bilal is a physician by training with an academic background in health-related applications of data science and machine learning. Prior to joining Digital Square, he served as the Clinical Technology Lead and Senior Manager for Digital Technology at the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest philanthropic foundations supporting science and health research. Under his leadership, his team provided funding for digital public goods to address three key health challenges: mental health, the impacts of climate change on human health and emerging and escalating infectious diseases.

Bilal is also deeply passionate about the role of research in advancing ethical and inclusive applications of artificial intelligence to improve human lives. Alongside his role at PATH, he continues to hold an honorary (associate) professorial appointment at University College London and a fellowship at the Alan Turing Institute (the UK’s National Institute for Data Science and AI).

Dr Mateen completed his Bachelor of Science in Medical Sciences and Neuroscience, and his medical training in the UK at University College London. He subsequently completed his Master’s in Public Health at the University of Edinburgh. Until recently, he practised clinically at King’s College Hospital, which is also where he undertook his doctoral research in mucosal biology and inflammation.