"Ariyad" (أرياد) means pioneering and excellence in Arabic—a fitting name for a consultancy born with a commitment to delivering excellent services to tackle public health challenges.
Ariyad was founded by Dr Ahmed Alsaleh, a Saudi Vision 2030 scholarship recipient educated at University College London's Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and British co-founder Dr Fran Harkness.
Dr Alsaleh's journey—from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care —ranked amongst the world's leading centres for population health research, and back—embodies Vision 2030's mission: investing in Saudi human capital to create lasting regional impact.
What began as one scholar's commitment to bring world-class public health expertise back to the region has grown into an international consultancy. Today, Ariyad brings together Saudi-British leadership with a globally diverse team of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who share a commitment to closing health equity gaps across the GCC and Eastern Mediterranean.
Core Values
- Integrity
- Excellence
- Responsiveness
Our Approach
- Academic Rigour
- Regional Intelligence
- Implementation Focus
Meet the Team
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Dr. Ahmed Alsaleh
Founder & Managing Director
Dr. Alsaleh is a public health professional with expertise in epidemiology, health inequalities, and non-communicable diseases. Funded by a Kingdom of Saudi Arabia scholarship, he earned his degree at University College London's Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and completed a research fellowship at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
His research focuses on social and commercial determinants of health, health policy, and advocacy. He has led global health initiatives in Tanzania, India, Nicaragua, and refugee camps in Greece, combining international experience with deep commitment to advancing health equity in the GCC region. His work has been published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Alsaleh founded Ariyad to bridge the gap between global public health excellence and regional implementation needs—bringing world-class research standards to health challenges across the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
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Dr. Fran Harkness
Co-founder
Dr Harkness is a health and wellbeing academic, specialising in mixed methods and evaluation. She received her PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology from University College London (UCL), focused on the connection between mental and physical health and wellbeing in life-long healthy ageing. With an additional five years working in mental healthcare and in local government policy teams, Fran understands the difference to policy and practice that high quality evidence can make.
Her research interests are currently understanding public attitudes and perceptions and using research and public involvement to include the public in decision-making. Alongside research and evaluation, Fran’s passion is training and mentoring early career researchers to thrive and themselves make a difference to reducing health inequalities. She also enjoys supporting charities and NGOs to develop evaluation frameworks and findings to ensure they get the funding the need to deliver their vital work.
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Dr. Allan Radaic
Research Consultant
Dr. Radaic is a Project Scientist at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a MSc And PhD in Functional and Molecular Biology (Brazil), focusing his research on Nanotechnology, Periodontal Disease, Cancer and Dementia.
Dr. Allan Radaic has published over 35 original research articles in recognized peer-reviewed journals, which led him to obtain 1 patent and 5 patents pending review. His work has been recognized with grants from the US National Institute of Health (NIH) and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and awards totaling over $30M USD. Dr. Radaic has supervised, trained, and mentored over 100 undergraduates, residents, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows and has served as a journal reviewer for multiple journals.
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Dr. Nadia Khaliq
Research Consultant
Dr Nadia Khaliq is a dedicated public health professional with a strong background in epidemiology and research. She holds a PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology from UCL, where she was awarded the Medical Research Council Doctoral Studentship.
Dr Khaliq has been recognised for her outstanding contributions to improving the research student experience and was the co-lead and chair for the public health monthly seminar series at UCL, hosting esteemed professionals in the field. With a passion for teaching, Dr Khaliq has been actively involved in teaching biostatistics to postgraduate students and has achieved the status of Associate Fellow in Higher Education. She is an integral part of the peer teaching team for the People, Populations, and Society module of the Graduate Entry MBBS program at City St George’s University of London.
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Dr. Anastasia Koveza
Early-Career Advisor
Dr Koveza is a dynamic healthcare consultant with an MSc in Population Health from University College London (UCL). She has extensive experience in leading impactful healthcare projects and a proven track record in addressing healthcare inequalities, optimizing patient care pathways, and conducting advanced statistical analyses to inform strategic decision-making.
With a background in Medicine and as the Former Head of the Project Development Department for CVD Control at the Russian Ministry of Health, as well as the Lead Analyst at Moscow Regional Medical Information and Analysis Centre specialising in data analysis and health monitoring systems, Dr Koveza's expertise has contributed to managing large-scale healthcare initiatives, improving patient outcomes, and driving project execution in economically disadvantaged regions. With skills in population health analytics, healthcare policy, and stakeholder engagement, Anastasia is dedicated to leveraging her diverse skill set and experience to create positive change in healthcare systems and address complex healthcare challenges.
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Kit Codling
Research Consultant
Kit Codling is a dedicated health economist consultant with extensive experience in the field. He has worked with reputable international organizations such as the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health as part of the Vision 2030 KSA expansion, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, the World Bank, NHS South East London Integrated Care System, and UCL Institute of Health Equity where he was chaired by Professor Sir Michael Marmot. His expertise includes developing options appraisals, health economic evaluations, and population health work streams. With a master's degree in Global Health and Development from University College London, Kit Codling is well-equipped to provide valuable insights and drive impactful initiatives in the realm of health economics and research.
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Dr. Carla Madrid-Canales
Research Consultant
Dr Carla Madrid-Canales is a public health professional and research data analyst. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL, where she completed her Master's in Dental Public Health with distinction and received the prestigious Dean's List award from the Faculty of Population Health Sciences for academic excellence, as well as the Dr. Gillian Stoltman and Dr. Joseph Stoltman's Prize for the best dissertation.
Dr. Madrid-Canales is committed to advancing public health initiatives through impactful research and real-world solutions. She focuses particularly on addressing oral health inequalities, especially among people with disabilities. She has contributed to various research projects and has received numerous prestigious awards and scholarships, including funding from the Chilean government for her master's and doctoral studies. She was also honored with the Hatton Award by the IADR, recognising her significant contributions to the field and allowing her to represent Chile at global conferences.
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Dr. Nathaniel Essel
Research Consultant
Dr Essel is a dentist and public health professional with a focus on health inequalities, health behaviours, and broader determinants of health, especially within underserved populations. He holds a BDS from the University of Ghana and an MSc in Dental Public Health from the University College London (UCL), where he was awarded the Dr. Gillian Stoltman and Dr. Joseph Stoltman's Prize for the best dissertation. He was also granted the Chevening Scholarship for 2022-2023.
Dr. Essel's professional journey includes significant roles in international research projects aimed at reducing health inequalities. His role as a research assistant at the University of Ghana involved collaboration on various qualitative and quantitative research projects. He is particularly skilled in developing research methodologies and tools for data collection.
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Dr Meryem Cicek
Healthcare Consultant
Dr Meryem Cicek is an interdisciplinary public health researcher and consultant specialising in multi-morbidity, mental health and health inequalities. She holds a PhD in Clinical Medicine Research and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Imperial College London. She received Prize Winner for her outstanding contributions to global mental health research during her time at King’s College London. With international experience and a diverse background, Dr Cicek is well-positioned to understand the nuances between different sociocultural contexts which reflects her strengths in her multisite interdisciplinary collaborations.
She has supervised and mentored both medical students and postgraduate public health/epidemiology students at Imperial College London, and serves as a journal reviewer for multiple high impact journals. She is also an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy for her excellent teaching and mentoring impacts in higher education cohorts.
