Azza Al-Busaidi
Ph.D. Senior Lecturer | Head Of Section Marketing | Program Leader In Marketing & Branding
Muscat
Summary
Dynamic marketing and branding senior lecturer with 15+ years of academic leadership, curriculum innovation, and industry collaboration. I bridge academia with real-world applications, ensuring students gain future-focused, high-impact learning experiences. Passionate about mentorship, social responsibility, and research, I specialize in marketing, particularly in strategic brand management, digital customer experience, consumer insights, and behavioral sciences. Committed to driving thought leadership, fostering industry partnerships, and shaping creative and innovative marketing leaders.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Languages
Work History
Head of Section, Program Leader & Senior Lecturer
University of Technology and Applied Sciences
01.2019 - Current
- Curriculum Development & Teaching Excellence: Designed and delivered a diverse range of marketing courses, including brand management, digital customer experience, customer insights, strategic marketing, international marketing, new product development, and planning campaigns, among other marketing courses. Pioneered entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation courses, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students. Led a transformative overhaul of major assessments across five marketing courses in a single semester, integrating experiential learning through continuous, project-based evaluations that enhanced student engagement, critical thinking, and real-world application.
- Academic Leadership & Program Development: Led curriculum mapping, assessment creation, and digital evaluation tools, enhancing student competencies and bridging academia with industry. Streamlined communication and collaboration through centralized digital platforms and innovative teaching methodologies.
- Research & Industry Engagement: Spearheaded research workshops on literature review, sentiment analysis, design thinking, and branding. Led roundtable discussions between marketing academics, researchers, and industry leaders, fostering academia-industry collaboration and identifying strategic opportunities.
- Technology Integration & Digital Transformation: Led the integration of AI-driven analytics, sentiment analysis, and digital tools to modernize teaching, assessment, and program delivery. Ensured the incorporation of Google Analytics to equip students with data-driven marketing skills and facilitated the use of Canva for creative content development. Introduced strategic branding tools and collaborative platforms like Conceptboard, fostering brainstorming, creativity, innovation, and teamwork to enhance experiential learning in marketing education.
- Student & Faculty Mentorship: Supervised and mentored student projects, ensuring academic rigor and industry relevance. Led faculty training programs on new software tools and digital collaboration platforms, significantly enhancing technical capabilities and pedagogical effectiveness.
- Events, Outreach & Impactful Initiatives: Organized high-impact industry-academic networking events, guest lectures, and the InVoCanvas Event, engaging 1000+ students in business model presentations. Initiated community outreach programs that strengthened the university’s brand image and elevated student engagement.
Marketing Lecturer
University of Technology and Applied Sciences
Muscat, Muscat
11.2007 - Current
- Dynamic Teaching & Curriculum Development: Designed and delivered engaging Marketing, Management, and Business courses, integrating innovative teaching strategies for enhanced student participation and comprehension.
- Student Assessment & Mentorship: Evaluated student progress through rigorous assessments, providing constructive feedback and personalized mentorship in marketing research.
- Academic Excellence & Quality Assurance: Ensured academic integrity, moderated assessments, and aligned curriculum with quality assurance standards, contributing to institutional strategic policies.
- Innovation & Engagement: Leveraged creative, technology-driven methods to foster interactive learning, ensuring course content remains student-centered and industry-relevant.
- Administrative & Institutional Contributions: Played a key role in academic administration, curriculum evaluation, and strategic development, supporting institutional growth and academic excellence.
Retail Brand and Sales Consultant (Part-Time)
Various Locations: Australia (Gold Coast, Brisbane) and UK (Glasgow)
01.2004 - 12.2018
- Retail Branding & Sales Expertise: Provided strategic brand representation for Victoria’s Secret, MAC, Estée Lauder, and Napoleon Cosmetics, delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving sales performance.
- Customer Engagement & Product Consultation: Delivered personalized consultations, leveraging in-depth product knowledge to enhance customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
- Visual Merchandising & Promotions: Curated compelling displays, executed promotional events, and contributed to successful product launches, increasing brand visibility and engagement.
- Market Insights & Trend Adaptation: Stayed ahead of industry trends through continuous training, applying insights to optimize customer experience and sales strategies.
Retail Manager
M.A.C Estee Lauder
02.2005 - 06.2006
- Retail Strategy & Brand Growth: Led customer experience initiatives and sales strategies, achieving 70% of overall targets and exceeding budget forecasts by 62%, enhancing brand positioning in GCC and MENA markets.
- Leadership & Team Development: Cultivated high-performance teams through strategic leadership, coaching, and training, ensuring excellence in sales, customer service, and brand representation.
- Marketing & Brand Activation: Directed monthly product launches and promotional events, boosting customer engagement and brand visibility through experiential marketing and beauty services.Ensuring cultural orientation while balancing the global brand promise with careful adaptation to cultural orientation.
- Financial & Operational Expertise: Managed P&L analysis, budgeting, and inventory control, ensuring efficient stock management and merchandising standards to optimize retail performance.
Education
Ph.D. - Destination Brand Meaning in the Context of a Nation Brand
Griffith University
Australia 05.2015 - 11.2019
Graduate Diploma of Research Studies - Nation Branding: Towards a Typology Perspectives of External Audiences
Griffith University
Australia 02.2014 - 03.2015
Master of Science - International Marketing
University of Glasgow
Glasgow, Scotland 09.2006 - 11.2007
BBA - Marketing and Management
University of Canberra
Australia 02.2003 - 03.2005
High School Diploma -
High School
Oman 09.1999 - 07.2000
Skills
- Leadership
- Storytelling and content creation
- International retail brand management
- Team collaboration
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- Analytical skills
- Strategic Partnerships & Industry Collaborations
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Digital tools and platforms
- Creative and Academic workshops
- Research and Analysis
- Curriculum Development and Program Leadership
- Digital Marketing and Customer Experience
- Leadership
Extra-Curricular Activities
Currently managing an initiative at the department level focusing on igniting creative excellence. Lead and managed an initiative for digital marketing and branding students at the Youth Centre in Muscat. Currently designing and implementing the entrepreneurship: creativity and innovation course.
Publications
Brand meaning and destination brand image: A reconciliation, CAUTHE 2018: Get Smart: Paradoxes and Possibilities in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Education and Research, 01/18
Research
- Working Paper: "Title: Sustainable Nation Branding Through Immersive Museum Experiences for Youth" (Ongoing Research)
- Working Paper: "Exploring the Role of AI in Enhancing Emotional Engagement and Brand Image at Cultural Heritage Sites in Oman" (Ongoing
Research)
-"Brand Meaning and Destination Brand Image: A Reconciliation" – CAUTHE 2018
Timeline
Head of Section, Program Leader & Senior Lecturer
University of Technology and Applied Sciences
01.2019 - Current
Ph.D. - Destination Brand Meaning in the Context of a Nation Brand
Griffith University
05.2015 - 11.2019
Graduate Diploma of Research Studies - Nation Branding: Towards a Typology Perspectives of External Audiences
Griffith University
02.2014 - 03.2015
Marketing Lecturer
University of Technology and Applied Sciences
11.2007 - Current
Master of Science - International Marketing
University of Glasgow
09.2006 - 11.2007
Retail Manager
M.A.C Estee Lauder
02.2005 - 06.2006
Retail Brand and Sales Consultant (Part-Time)
Various Locations: Australia (Gold Coast, Brisbane) and UK (Glasgow)
01.2004 - 12.2018
BBA - Marketing and Management
University of Canberra
02.2003 - 03.2005
High School Diploma -
High School
09.1999 - 07.2000
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