Areen Shahbari has over 15 years of corporate, business training, and consulting experience. Through the two companies she runs Shahbari Training & Consultancy and Cactus International, she provides training and consultation to startups and innovative companies. Through Cactus she focuses mostly on promoting women’s entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa regions. 

 

Shahbari is also an instructor at Harvard University Extension School and Harvard Professional Development Programs.  She speaks at regional and global conferences and has led training programs in 9 countries. Her teaching, training, and consultancy focus on innovation, strategy, marketing, leadership, and the intersection between psychology and business. Shahbari was formerly a journalist and TV host, and received an MBA from Simmons University, where she was a Fulbright scholar.