Mo Dirani Email & Phone Number

Mo Dirani is an Australian entrepreneur and scientist. He is the founder of Plano Pte Ltd, an award winning Healthtech startup headquartered in Singapore. Plano utilises science-based technological solutions, education tools, and AI to manage short-sightedness in children. Mo served as Plano’s Founding Managing Director from August 2017 to March 2024. He is now the Chair of the Plano Board and a member of its Science and Innovation Advisory Group. Plano’s shareholders include Singaporean government entities, angel investors, venture capitalists and one of the world’s largest ophthalmic pharmaceutical companies, Santen. Mo has attained extensive leadership, fundraising (secured seed to series B funding) and business experience in Singapore, Southeast Asia and more recently China, where Plano’s strategic business growth is currently centred. Mo led the company from its early concept stages to commercialisation in local and international markets, where he was often the first mover. From the inception of Plano, Mo has held academic appointments at world-class medical research institutes and universities. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Duke-NUS Medical School, and an honorary Principal Investigator (PI) at the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) and the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA). Mo has led 4 landmark population-based studies, including Australia’s first study to assess the burden of blindness in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. While heading CERA’s Health Services Department, Mo completed his MBA at the Australian Institute of Business (AIB) and successfully graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Mo completed his PhD at the age of 26 years at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His PhD produced the world’s largest twin study to investigate the genetic and environmental risk factors in eye disease. Mo holds ten patents as a primary inventor, published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts in medical journals, published several Government and industry-commissioned reports, and has received competitive scholarships, fellowships, and scientific and industry awards. Mo is the author of the best-selling children book series known as The Plano Adventures, published by Marshall Cavendish. Besides the series being available worldwide for print, eBook and audio, its contents are presented in all schools in Singapore.Mo is an avid runner, where he has completed 14 marathons in five countries. Mo’s marathons were either run in memory of his loved ones or part of fundraising events.

Listed skills include Public Speaking, Social Media, Team Leadership, Change Management, and 24 others.