As CEO of Sequoia Clinic, Anna Wibage is helping reshape the future of healthcare in Dubai through a model centred on prevention, personalization, and long-term wellbeing. With a background in clinical nursing, healthcare leadership, and service innovation, she brings a unique blend of medical expertise and patient-focused care to the region’s growing wellness and longevity sector.
In her interview with Emirates Woman, Wibage explains how since launching Sequoia Clinic in April 2026, she has led the development of an integrated healthcare experience that combines advanced diagnostics, clinical excellence, and lifestyle-led care. She is a strong advocate for proactive health management, believing that many common concerns, from fatigue and hormonal imbalances to stress-related conditions, can be better addressed through early intervention. Prior to becoming CEO, she played a key role in establishing the clinic’s at-home care division and previously held senior leadership positions at The Elixir Clinic in Dubai. Her clinical career began in Sweden at Uppsala University Hospital before continuing in the UAE at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Ajman.
What’s your educational background?
I hold a BSc in Nursing from Sweden.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Psychology.
What was your first job?
I had a few odd jobs after finishing high school before discovering my passion for nursing, but my first medical role was as a nurse in a surgical unit caring for patients with liver and pancreatic cancer.
What inspired you to enter the wellness world?
Honestly, I felt a little lost after finishing high school. I took courses in finance and even started a BSc in Human Relations but I never truly felt I could see myself pursuing those paths long term.One day, a family friend asked if I wanted to shadow a midwife visiting postpartum mothers and their newborn babies for their first check-up, usually 24 to 48 hours after delivery. After that day, I applied to university for my nursing degree.It was so different from anything I had experienced before and far from my naïve expectations of what full time work would feel like. This was life, passion, emotion and vulnerability all wrapped up in a tiny little human. After that, I never looked back.
What are the key elements of your role?
As a new clinic, my role may not be as clearly defined as that of a CEO in a more established business. All of our staff members, myself included, wear multiple hats and contribute to developing and supporting every segment of the clinic. A large part of my day is spent meeting with vendors and partners, fine tuning the patient journey, creating new services, liaising with my procurement manager, overseeing operations and developing the tools and assets the team needs to work more efficiently.I also make it a priority to spend as much time with my staff as possible. I believe the more visible and approachable I am, the easier it is for people to come to me with questions or concerns. I strongly believe that a quiet organization can be a worrying sign, it often means issues are not being raised or addressed, which increases the risk of mistakes and incidents. I value an open door culture where communication is encouraged.
Talk us through your daily routine.
I have a toddler at home who’s about to turn two, so my mornings usually start in fifth gear, no snooze button. We play and have breakfast together before I get ready for work. I often open my phone or laptop while still at home so I can get a head start on the day and mentally plan things out during my drive to work.Once I arrive at the clinic, I try to divide my time between meetings, business development, operations, workflow optimization and understanding marketing, which, honestly, has been a steep learning curve for me.I normally finish around 6pm, head home for dinner and put my son to bed. After that, it depends on the evening. I’ll either re-open my laptop or else I’ll sit and watch a show with my husband. We’re huge fans of Australian Survivor.I also try to work out twice a week and incorporate movement and stretching into my everyday routine.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Believe in yourself, be kind and do the work. I genuinely don’t think cutting corners teaches you anything other than a lesson. Most importantly, give it time.
What are the pillars that define Sequoia Clinic?
Prevention First
We believe the foundation of great healthcare is prevention. Our focus is on long-term wellness, longevity and proactive care that supports your health before problems arise.
A Personalised Approach
No two patients are the same. We tailor every treatment plan and service to your individual lifestyle, goals, schedule and health needs.
Patient Education & a Holistic Perspective
We believe informed patients make empowered decisions. By taking a holistic approach to your health, we aim to help you better understand your body, wellbeing and overall lifestyle.
Baseline Before Optimisation
True optimisation starts with understanding where you are today. We take the time to assess your baseline health and use it to create thoughtful, personalised strategies for long-term vitality and performance.
What do you think makes Sequoia Clinic unique?
We’re not trying to be something we’re not. The majority of our team, myself included, comes from a medical background and I believe there is real strength in having medically trained professionals involved at every level of the clinic. It keeps us grounded in our core purpose, the patient. Wellness, longevity and aesthetics are indeed saturated industries but we are determined to approach things differently and better. At Sequoia, you’ll see a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and learning, with doctors, therapists and nurses constantly learning alongside and from one another.Every patient is approached holistically across all departments. We first work to understand the baseline and then we ask ourselves, how can we optimize from here?We may be new to Dubai and the UAE, but we are confident in our ability to care for our patients through both a professional and deeply personal approach.
What are your favourite services from the clinic?
I’d have to say laser treatments and ozone therapy. I love all things laser when it comes to concerns such as pigmentation, skin laxity and overall skin rejuvenation, while ozone therapy is something I value for detoxification and immune modulation.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“You do you.” I know it sounds like a simple saying, but it has helped me tremendously in both my personal and professional life. I stopped focusing so much on what I was supposed to do, think, or say and instead concentrated on precision, dedication and empathy. I truly believe that mindset is one of the reasons I am where I am today.Life is too short to live according to other people’s expectations. Instead, I try to set goals for myself and focus on achieving those.
And what is the worst?
“Stop caring so much.” I’ve probably heard this a hundred times, if not more. I’m highly structured and definitely an overthinker, but I also believe that’s one of the reasons I’m able to stay organized and handle a lot at once.Of course, I understand the importance of rest and downtime, but being diligent and considering situations from multiple angles can be both a blessing and a curse. The advice I wish I had received instead is, understand your patterns and rather than trying to change them, learn how to use them to your advantage. Know when to switch on and off and make that your signature, your superpower.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Everyone faces challenges, though unfortunately some more than others. I’ve been fortunate to have had a safe and secure childhood, so most of my challenges have come in adulthood.The biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome was being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) back in 2023. Over the course of 2 to 3 weeks, I lost sensation in my fingertips and the numbness gradually travelled up my arm to around my ear and half of my scalp. Thankfully, the diagnosis came quickly, which I now realise was a blessing in itself as it meant I could begin treatment straight away.The hardest part was accepting that I now live with a chronic condition that can flare up at any time. That uncertainty really affected me mentally during the first few months.Today, I feel great. I feel strong, capable and grateful. Since my diagnosis, I’ve carried and had my child, progressed in my career and developed an even deeper interest for alternative medicine, wellness and longevity. In many ways, I think the experience has made me more resilient and more intentional about how I choose to live my life.
What are your goals for the future?
Honestly, I want to see Sequoia Clinic fully come to fruition, the entire concept from A to Z. My goal is to create a personalized, medically safe space where people can better understand their bodies and their individual needs and where we can make a real impact on health outcomes.That impact may come in many forms, reducing symptoms, helping patients taper medications and minimize side effects, or working preventatively to help people stay healthier, stronger and free from chronic illness and pain for as long as possible. Ultimately, I want to make a meaningful difference in people’s health and longevity, giving them more time and energy to focus on what truly matters to them.On a personal level, my greatest goal is simply to spend as much quality time as possible with my friends, my child and my husband, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Guided by a commitment to clinical integrity and patient-centred care, Wibage continues to challenge traditional healthcare models by prioritising understanding and prevention over reactive treatment. Through her leadership, Sequoia Clinic is setting a new standard for healthcare in the UAE, empowering patients to take a more informed and proactive approach to their long-term health.
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