Melodena Stephens

Melodena Stephens has worked a distinguished career that encompasses work in academia, private sector, startups and government. Currently, Melodena is the Professor of Innovation Management at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, having built a strong reputation as the Founder of the Academy of International Business and spearheading projects on Agile Government and Anticipatory Governance. Now an avid expert on tech governance, AI ethics, corporate diplomacy and crisis management, Melodena is highly sought after as a keynote speaker for top corporate clients. Book her today when looking for a seasoned expert on strategic consultancy, reputation management, corporate training and design thinking.

Back in 2005, Melodena began her decorated career in academia, becoming an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. Later promoted to Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business & Management and MBA Program Director, Melodena used her prominence in such roles to create and become the President of the Academy of International Business in 2009. In 2010, Melodena became the Regional Editor of MENA and Series Editor for Emerald Group Publishing, before returning to academia in 2015 as a Professor of International Marketing Strategy & Entrepreneurship at Karlshochschule International University.

Other prominent roles of Melodena’s have included being the Editor of Cultural Reflections from the UAE for the Academy of International Business MENA Chapter, Dean of the Faculty of Management & Performance at the Karlshochschule International University and Visiting Scholar of the University of Wollongong in Dubai. Having worked across India, the USA, Taiwan, the UAE and Germany, Melodena has also worked as a Research Fellow at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government and has become a Certified Practitioner of Emotional Intelligence from Genos International. Aside from her commitments to academia, Melodena is also a prolific author, with her most recent books titled Business with Purpose, AI Smart Kit and AI-Enabled Business. Most recently, in 2024, Melodena was appointed as a Senior Fellow of the Center of Excellence on Human-Centered Global Economy at The Digital Economist.

With over three decades of experience in all aspects of innovation, managing brands and reputations, human-centred solutions, corporate training and design thinking, Melodena is now highly sought after as a keynote speaker. Having also committed her time to being an IEEE SA AI Systems Ethics Committee Member for the Global Initiative Education, Concentration of Power, Autonomous Weapons Systems and Planet Positive 2030, Melodena is a professional with broad-ranging interests. She has also been an Advisory Board Member of SixthFactor and is working on Metaverse Governance with Agile Nations and the Council of Europe. With a rich academic track record and expertise in everything from agile government to AI ethics and governance, hire Melodena Stephens today for an engaging and enriching keynote speech.