Dean, Canadian University, UAE

Professor Martin Spraggon is a progressive professor of Strategy and Innovation Management with more than 25 years of industry and consultation experience across the GCC, Europe, and the Americas. Before becoming the Dean of the School of Business and Quality Management at Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University, he served as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, and Director of Executive Education of the School of Business Administration at the American University of Sharjah. His areas of specialization include leadership, corporate strategy, design thinking, innovation and creativity, international marketing, education, and portfolio management. As a licensed psychologist, professional actor and martial artist, he is also an expert on organizational and human behavior, emotionally intelligent leadership, motivation, and public speaking, and has been involved in the conception, development, delivery and administration of unique executive education and leadership development programs for the last 18 years in the private and public sectors in the Americas, Europe and the UAE. A regular conference speaker on various topics including corporate strategy, leadership, happiness, healthcare, innovation, and education, Professor Spraggon is the co-author of two books with Palgrave Macmillan and Routledge and has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and case studies on corporate governance, health-care management, innovation and knowledge management, organizational play, family businesses, authentic leadership, executive compensation and M&As. He is actively involved in case study research and practice and frequently assumes responsibilities as a member of international program committees at leading conferences around the world.