Omar AL-Tabbaa

Professor Omar AL-Tabbaa is a distinguished academic in International Business and Strategy at the University of Leeds, serving as Director of Research and Innovation. His expertise spans digitization, global value chains, and SME internationalization. He has held senior roles at UK universities and led a World Bank-funded technology incubator in Palestine. Prof. AL-Tabbaa has published over 70 papers in top journals, securing over 2,500 citations and numerous awards. His research focuses on digital globalization, inter-organizational collaboration, and business model innovation in emerging economies. He leads multi-million-pound grants from institutions like the World Bank and Erasmus Plus.

Education: PhD Management & Economics (Leeds), MSc Management (Leeds), MSc Construction Management (IUG), BSc Engineering (Jordan).

Research Interests: Three core themes drive his work:
1. Digitization for Globalization: Examines digital technologies' impact on firm internationalization strategies.
2. Inter-Organizational Relationships: Focuses on alliances, co-innovation, and university-industry ties, particularly for SMEs.
3. Business Model Innovation: Explores scalable digital platforms and value creation in developing economies.

Awards: Recognized for top-cited papers, best research contributions, and teaching excellence. His work bridges academia and industry via incubators, grants, and collaborations.

Advising & Grants: Supervised 6 completed PhDs and oversees 4 ongoing projects. Secured £1M+ in external funding. Current students focus on GVC sustainability, public-sector business models, and cross-border university-industry partnerships.

Labs/Teams: Leads Research & Innovation initiatives at Leeds Business School, fostering interdisciplinary projects on digital transformation and sustainable development goals.