Dubai-based DM Healthcare, a $300 million group and one of the largest healthcare service providers in the region, has launched its new corporate brand identity, “Aster.”

‘Aster’ is the Greek word for star, and is a popular flower associated with vibrancy, colour, popularity and abundance. The new identity embodies these attributes and the Group’s promise to enrich life with love and care, said a statement from DM Healthcare.

"The brand identity aims at consolidating and spearheading the four key verticals of DM Healthcare as one cohesive brand. Aster will be integrating the hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, and pharmacies of the Group, spread over 90 locations in 5 countries," said DM Healthcare chairman Dr Azad Moopen after unveiling the brand identity in presence of Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Aster will bring alive the expertise, the value, the technology and best medical practices and emerge as a premier healthcare provider in the Middle East and India, Dr Moopen added.

Introduction of Aster will enable the group to leverage the overall strength of the brand to build more meaningful connections with their customers and promote affordable, quality healthcare with a human touch, the statement said.

Explaining the rationale behind the new identity, Dr Moopen said, "It reflects the company's achievements over the last decade and heralds its ambitions for the coming years. Healthcare is now considered a sunshine sector, which has proved to be recession proof in turbulent times."

"The GCC and Indian healthcare markets together are projected to grow to a whopping $150 billion by 2020 from the present $45 billion. We are gearing up to become one among the leaders in this geography by 2015," Dr Moopen remarked.

Dr Moopen said, “We dedicate ourselves to achieving excellence in healthcare, with a conviction that a society is as healthy as its people and its achievements as high as its aspirations. Aster will embody our core principles of quality, affordability and care.”

"Aster will be the key driver of the Group in the future constituting 80 per cent of our customers. Strategically, this is considered the best route to become a global player," he added.

According to him, the group envisions an expansion plan ‘Vision 2015’ aiming to become leader in the healthcare sector in the GCC and India. The vision is to setup about 300 healthcare establishments with investments of $500 million across Middle East and India.

The Vision 2015 in Oman includes 3 hospitals, 15 medical centres and 15 pharmacies under the Aster vertical with an additional investment of $27 million.

In Qatar, DM Healthcare is all set for a major expansion. "The plan is to establish a 50 bed Aster Hospital, 5 Aster Medical Centres and 12 Aster Pharmacies at an investment of $30 million in major towns like Al Khor, Al Rayyan and Al Wakra," he added.

In Saudi, the company plans to invest SR250 million to set up 5 hospitals, 15 clinics and 15 pharmacies. In Bahrain the group plans to have 10 units at an investment of $15 million. In Kuwait too the group plans to roll out 10 units and will invest $5 million as part of the Vision 2015.

Dr Azad Moopen also announced a sizeable investment in a unique CRM initiative - Aster Citizen Team (ACT) for its existing and growing customers.

ACT, he said will seamlessly offer comprehensive healthcare through all Aster verticals. The key benefits will include accessibility and convenience under one window- medical history, priority appointments and reminders, online chat with our consultants and online purchase of medicines.

DM Healthcare’s growth in India will be primarily driven through the DM MedCity at Kochi, India, a green-field venture, with an investment of $300 million when completed, will be attracting patients from across the globe, Dr Moopen added.-TradeArabia News Service