Dr Martine Abboud

About this trainer

Dr Martine Abboud is the Founder and Director of CREO Incubator and an Oxford-trained leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship specialist. She holds a PhD from the University of Oxford and an MBA focused on entrepreneurship and leadership, combining rigorous analytical thinking with practical experience in developing people, teams and organisations. Dr Abboud designs and delivers engaging, application-led training in strategic leadership, corporate innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, team effectiveness, stakeholder engagement, negotiation and organisational change. Her approach helps participants move beyond theory, challenge established assumptions and translate learning into practical decisions, behaviours and workplace actions. Her sessions combine real-world cases, interactive exercises, facilitated reflection, simulations and tools that participants can immediately apply in their roles. Her training experience includes delivering corporate innovation programmes for Roche; leadership, entrepreneurship and venture-development support connected with the University of Oxford; and negotiation and leadership training for participants in the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships programme. She has also designed learning experiences covering strategic and change leadership, corporate entrepreneurship, innovation culture, stakeholder management, effective teamwork, resilience and venture validation. These programmes help participants identify opportunities, influence stakeholders, lead multidisciplinary teams, test new ideas and navigate innovation within established organisations. Over the past six years, Dr Abboud has built and scaled CREO Incubator across multiple geographies, giving her first-hand experience of leading through growth, building partnerships, managing multidisciplinary teams and turning innovative ideas into sustainable initiatives. She has designed and delivered programmes for corporate, academic, government and international partners, adapting her methods to different industries, organisational priorities and cultural contexts. Dr Abboud has trained and mentored more than 400 early-stage founders and innovators. This experience enables her to engage effectively with participants at different career stages—from emerging managers and innovation teams to senior leaders responsible for transformation and growth. She is also experienced in designing online and blended learning journeys supported by digital learning platforms. Alongside her work at CREO, Dr Abboud serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence Fellow at Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre. Her scientific background, including more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and recognition in Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, strengthens her evidence-based and structured approach to leadership and innovation. As a trainer, Dr Abboud brings credibility, energy and empathy to the learning environment. She understands both the human challenges of leadership and the organisational realities of innovation, helping individuals and teams develop the confidence, skills and practical discipline needed to lead change and create measurable value.