Other Women's Jobs // A Day In The Life And Career Of Celin Jacob

NAME: Celin Jacob

JOB TITLE: Chief Operating Officer, Aster Hospital Al Qusais & Muhaisnah

MOVED TO THE UAE IN: 2019

Celin Jacob's moved to Dubai in 2019, she was a nurse leader with dreams of making an impact. Five years later, she sits at the helm of two major hospitals in the Aster network as Chief Operating Officer.  

A nurse by training, a strategist by instinct, and a leader by example, she carries her journey like a storybook that blends resilience, growth, and purpose. Celin's role spans across strategic planning, operational excellence, financial oversight, patient experience initiatives, and ensuring quality compliance across their hospitals. She leads multidisciplinary teams, support doctors and nurses in creating smooth care journeys for patients, and push initiatives that strengthen their reputation as one of the most trusted healthcare systems in the region

Celin's days are demanding, layered with strategy meetings, patient escalations, financial closures, and the very human side of healthcare. Yet beneath the intensity of her COO role, she is also a mother to a 9-year-old daughter, Cheryl, whose school stories keep her grounded and smiling after long days. Balancing motherhood, leadership, and personal wellbeing is a conscious discipline, and her daily routine is what keeps it all in rhythm.

Let's discover a day in Celin's world:

5-6AM:

My day begins in the warm chaos of motherhood. I rise at 5 am to prepare Cheryl for school - uniforms, breakfast, gentle nudges, and morning hugs. By 6 am, Cheryl is on her way, and the house falls quiet for a moment. That first hour isn’t about corporate strategy; it’s about being present as a mother, which I believe is my most sacred role.It’s not board papers or business calls that come first, but breakfast prep and school uniforms. “My day begins as a mum, not a COO,”

7-9AM:

With my daughter at school, I grab a coffee, opens my laptop, and scans through emails. I scroll through my inbox, flag urgent messages, and mentally map out the day. “This is my prep hour. It’s where I align my mind before I align my teams. For me, planning is like building invisible muscles, preparing to carry the weight of a hospital day.

9-10AM:

Commuting is a quiet ritual. Some days I listen to Voice mails, voice notes; other days, it’s silent reflection. By the time I step into Aster Hospitals, my head is already full of action points and my energy tuned into the fast-paced rhythm that hospitals demand.

10-12NOON:

The day kicks off with meetings, strategy huddles, patient feedback reviews, and operational targets. We discuss patient feedback, quality metrics, ER performance, and any urgent red flags. For me, this is a vital checkpoint—to ensure the day doesn’t just run, but runs with intent.These sessions, I insist, are not about micromanagement. “It’s about momentum, It’s about making sure we move forward as one system, not fragmented teams.”

12Noon - 2PM:

No COO can lead from behind a desk. I meet the doctors, walk the floors, checking in on patient care areas and talking with frontline teams. It is in these hours that I approve urgent requests, resolve scheduling conflicts, or step in to unblock teams struggling with resources.I calls it presence management because real leadership, I believe, is visible.

2-4PM:

The firefighting hours. This block is often spent firefighting: resolving operational bottlenecks, handling escalations from patient families, smoothing cross-departmental conflicts, or coordinating with external partners like insurers. From ER surges to OT scheduling conflicts or insurance delays, this is when the COO hat feels heaviest. Healthcare operations are unpredictable, and this is my nursing background helps. I understand the pressure of frontline teams because I once wore their shoes. No two days are the same, and this unpredictability is what makes my role demanding yet fulfilling.

4-6PM:

This is where the COO hat gets very analytical, looking at both the micro and the macro (aligning strategies to meet hospital expansion goals). Finance and approvals take centre stage. Revenue closures, budget reviews, purchase requests: every decision matters. “Financial discipline isn’t about money, it’s about responsibility. Every dirham has a story attached to it.”

6-7PM:

Before leaving, I huddle with teams for quick catch-ups an laughs. It’s my chance to reflect: what worked, what didn’t, and how to reset for tomorrow. It’s a grounding hour where I clear my lists and ensure no pending crisis spills over unnecessarily.

8-10PM:

The gym. Strength training is my non-negotiable. “It’s not just about fitness: it fuels me, clears my head, and makes me sharper as a leader.” I consider it my ultimate form of self-care and discipline.

10PM-12AM:

Back home, I am no COO—just “mum.” I listen to Cheryl’s school stories, her friends, her teachers, her little school gossip preps meals for tomorrow, and ticks through school reminders. These evenings are my soft landing, a reminder that at the end of all strategy and structure, it’s the small, ordinary moments that matter most. By midnight, I switch off, ready to rise again at 5 am for another round of balancing life, leadership, and love.

My Non-Negotiables:

1. Motherhood comes first. No matter how big the boardroom agenda, Cheryl’s school prep and bedtime chats are untouchable.

   
   

2. Fitness fuels leadership. The gym is as important as a strategy meeting - it keeps me fit, sharp, clear, and calm.

   
   

3. Presence matters. “You can’t run a hospital from your office. People trust you when they see you on the ground.”