Associate Professor Reza Akbari

Reza Akbari is Associate Dean (Engagement) and Associate Professor of Management at CQUniversity. In this role, Reza provides strategic leadership for industry engagement, external partnerships, and stakeholder collaboration across the School of Business and Law, fostering meaningful connections between academia, industry, government, and the broader community.

Reza is an internationally recognised academic, researcher, and editor with expertise in digital transformation, sustainable supply chains, Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies, artificial intelligence, procurement innovation, circular economy, and global operations management. His work focuses on helping organisations leverage emerging technologies to improve sustainability, resilience, and operational performance while addressing complex societal and environmental challenges.

He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Victoria University, an MBA from Universiti Putra Malaysia, and advanced qualifications in higher education teaching from RMIT University and Harvard University's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. Reza is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), recognising his sustained contributions to teaching excellence, curriculum innovation, and academic leadership.

Throughout his career, Reza has held a range of senior academic leadership roles across Australian universities, including Academic Head of Management and Tourism, MBA Academic Director, and Program Manager. His leadership experience spans strategic planning, curriculum development, international education, quality assurance, research management, and industry engagement.

A prolific scholar, Reza has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, including journal articles, book chapters, and scholarly books. His research has been published in leading international journals and has attracted competitive research funding, industry collaborations, and international recognition. He is the author of The Road to Outsourcing 4.0 and has made significant contributions to advancing knowledge in digital transformation, sustainable operations, and supply chain management.

Reza's research excellence has been recognised globally through his inclusion in Stanford University's list of the world's top 2% most-cited scientists. His work has received numerous awards for research excellence, impact, and innovation, alongside multiple Wiley Top-Cited Article Awards and university research awards.

In addition to his research and leadership activities, Reza plays an active role in shaping global scholarship through editorial leadership. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environment & Development and Associate Editor of Operations Management Research. His contributions to scholarly publishing have been recognised through the prestigious Springer Nature Editorial Contribution Award and Springer Nature Author Service Award, awarded as part of Springer Nature's Editor of Distinction Awards, recognising excellence in editorial leadership, peer-review stewardship, and author service.

Reza supervises PhD candidates and collaborates with researchers, industry partners, and policymakers across Australia and internationally. Through his research, teaching, editorial leadership, and engagement activities, he continues to advance innovative solutions in sustainable supply chains, Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies, digital transformation, and global operations, creating impact for both academia and practice.