Habib Tannir received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the American University of Beirut and his Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Akron. He began his career as a clinical engineer at William Beaumont Hospital in Detroit, Michigan where he learned how technology enables medicine and worked on developing a technology management program for the hospital. He then joined GE Medical Systems where he served in a variety of roles in field operations, post-acquisition integration, product and service program development and strategic account management. After developing his business acumen at GE, Tannir returned to the calling of clinical service working as the corporate director of Imaging Services at University Community Health in Tampa, Florida. There, he led the consolidation of the health system’s vision and strategy across radiology departments at four community hospitals. Tannir’s next career move brought him to Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. As associate hospital administrator and senior clinical department administrator, Tannir gained extensive experience and expertise in both inpatient and outpatient imaging settings in a complex academic system with multiple sites, a medical school and a physician practice.His passion for employee development, customer service and patient experience got him on a quest to develop a Service Excellence Institute and a Radiology Leadership Academy.

Tannir was then drawn to the single mission focus of ending cancer at MD Anderson. He joined the institution in September 2012 as the executive director of clinical operations and then executive director of Hospital and Clinics. His portfolio included oversight of the division of Diagnostic Imaging, one of the largest radiology operations in the country and Perioperative Services, which is among the largest surgical oncology centers in the world. In 2020, he assumed the role of vice president of Diagnostic Operations at MD Anderson, overseeing the clinical operations of all diagnostic imaging, pathology and laboratory departments for the institution. He is a Fellow of ACHE, a Certified Patient Experience Professional, a Certified Professional in Patient Safety and a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt.