Professor Leon Lai

Professor Leon Lai is an academic neurosurgeon and senior medical leader at Monash Health, serving as the Service Medical Director for Specialty Surgery. In this role, he provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership across seven surgical specialties: Neurosurgery, Plastics, ENT, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Breast Surgery. His portfolio encompasses surgical governance, quality and safety, workforce planning, service redesign, and system-wide optimisation of perioperative care across a major tertiary program. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, Professor Lai completed a PhD in microsurgical techniques for intracranial aneurysm management, an MBA in Health Leadership, and the Surgical Leadership Program at Harvard Medical School. He is internationally recognised for his expertise in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery and leads one of Australia’s highest-volume programs for complex aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, brainstem lesions, and skull base tumours. He has performed more than 1,800 major cranial procedures and remains committed to the highest standards of patient-centred, multidisciplinary care. Professor Lai also holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at Monash University, where he contributes to medical education, postgraduate surgical training, and curriculum development. He mentors neurosurgical trainees and fellows across Australasia and leads microneurosurgical training programs aimed at advancing operative skill and technical excellence. He publishes extensively in cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery and maintains an active research portfolio spanning clinical outcomes, advanced neuroimaging, and the application of artificial intelligence to surgical decision-making. His leadership in multicentre and NHMRC-funded studies reflects a strong commitment to evidence-based practice and translational innovation that enhances patient care across the health service.