I am Director of Collaborative Relationships within the Directorate of External Collaborations at Buckinghamshire New University, where I provide senior strategic leadership for the University’s UK and international collaborative partnerships. My role focuses on developing, governing and sustaining high-impact academic and skills-based relationships that align with institutional strategy, regulatory requirements and the University’s civic mission.

As Director of Collaborative Relationships I lead the strategic management of a large and complex partnership portfolio that represents a significant proportion of the University’s student body and income, with responsibility for strengthening collaborative relationships and long-term sustainability. I work closely with senior colleagues across the University to ensure that collaborative provision delivers strong student outcomes, community impact and regulatory confidence.

I hold a PhD in Business Administration, a Master’s degree in Audit and Management Control and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. I am a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA), a Chartered Manager (CMgr MCMI) and a Chartered Management and Business Educator (CMBE), reflecting my combined expertise in academic leadership, professional practice and organisational development.

I am research active and open to supervising PhD students and developing research collaborations. My research expertise lies in entrepreneurship, innovation and organisational change, with particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. I have published extensively in high-quality peer-reviewed journals and have secured competitive collaborative research funding from Research England. My work bridges academic research, policy, and practice, particularly in areas related to innovation, leadership and higher education transformation.

I contribute to the higher education sector at a national and international level. I am a writer for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), contributing to the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and I serve as an Academic Adviser to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, supporting fair, high-quality global scholarship provision. I have also held External Examiner and external approval panel roles across multiple UK universities, contributing to academic standards, programme validation and quality enhancement.

Alongside my academic leadership career, I bring international consulting experience from my work with 5CGroup International Corporation, where I supported strategic partnerships and market entry initiatives across infrastructure, energy and technology sectors. This experience informs my approach to partnership development, enabling me to operate confidently at the intersection of academia, industry and policy.

Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, with working knowledge of Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, I bring a global and inclusive perspective to my leadership. My professional focus is on strengthening collaborative relationships, safeguarding academic quality, and ensuring that partnerships deliver meaningful, sustainable outcomes for students, partners, and the wider University community.