Magdy Habib Yacoub is an Egyptian-British cardiothoracic surgeon and academic, widely regarded as a pioneer of heart valve repair and heart–lung transplantation and the founder of the transplant programme at Harefield Hospital.

He is best known for advancing the Ross procedure (Ross-Yacoub modification) and devising the arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries. In 2025, he unveiled a breakthrough biodegradable “living heart valve”, designed to grow with patients and reduce repeat surgeries reinforcing his lasting impact on cardiovascular medicine.