Anji Benhamed

Dr. Anji Benhamed, assistant professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship earned her PhD in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship since January 2015 from the University Paris 13, Sorbonne, Paris City, with the highest distinction achievable for a PhD in such a first-category university in France. Prior to her tenure at HCT, she served as an adjunct faculty member in the postgraduate program in Entrepreneurship at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) in the UAE and held the position of Assistant Professor at Ahlia University in Bahrain. During her time at Ahlia University, she took on various leadership roles, including Director of the MBA program, Director of the Entrepreneurship Center, and Member of the Managing Committee for the George Washington Engineering Management Master's program, accumulating over four years of service in these capacities. Her professional journey spans more than 16 years, encompassing teaching, research, training, consulting and coaching across various countries worldwide. Additionally, she is a certified Professional Coach-Trainer in Entrepreneurship and Leadership, accredited by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), USA, in collaboration with the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan, USA. Throughout her career, she has instructed a diverse range of courses in business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. she has also supervised numerous bachelor's degree projects and MBA dissertations, in addition to conducting reviews for several engineering management projects. Beyond academia, she has acquired substantial practical experience working with real startups. she has served as an Entrepreneurship and startups coach- mentor with numerous business accelerators and incubators in the region, including Bahrain, the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Tunisia, and Iraq. This role has involved mentoring startups across various industries, from high-tech ventures to B2B enterprises, fashion, healthcare, education, and B2C startups. She has also actively participated in a variety of startups bootcamps and pitching competitions.