Rula Al Abdulrazak

Dr Rula Al-Abdulrazak

Senior Lecturer

Branding and Global Marketing

, Royal Docks School Of Business And Law

Rula M. Al-Abdulrazak is a Senior Lecturer in International Marketing and Branding at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law, University of East London. Prior to academia, Rula held consultancy and specialist positions at a European Commission Business Centre and at AFPC/Shell operating company on the Mediterranean. 

Qualifications

  • MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching, to be completed in 2020, University of East London
  • PhD Doctoral of Philosophy in Management "The Branded Nation: a comparative review with reference to Syria and the United Arab Emirates", 2016, School of Management – Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Postgraduate Diploma in skills of teaching to inspire learning (inSTIL), 2005 Higher Education Development Department - Royal Holloway, University of London
  • MBA in International Management & Marketing, 2004, School of Management – Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting, 1998, Economics College, Damascus University
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Education & Psychology, 1996, Education College, Damascus University
  • BSc Economics and Management Degree, 1993, Economic College, Damascus University

Areas Of Interest

Rula is interested in creativity and reflexivity in teaching, learning, self-development, coaching, brand design, marketing and business growth. She enjoys utilising art and oil painting, creative writing poem and short stories in the process and celebrating better understanding and awareness of emotions and human psychology.

Public speaking (English & Arabic)

Practising positive psychology and coaching with individuals and teams

Training and consultancy in branding, global marketing, positive leadership and systemic coaching

Interest 1

Research in nation branding and international marketing (strategy and communication), and country of origin image.

Interest 2

Global and International Marketing

 

Rula Al Abdulrazak

OVERVIEW

Rula is a researcher and a keen educator with a passion for education and well-being. She designed, managed and directed accredited Marketing and Business programmes at the University of East London for over 9 years. She monitors and moderates cooperative partners delivery standards, and acts as an internal & external examiner.

Rula contributed to:

  • the University Self-Assessment Race, Equality Charter that led to UEL's Bronze award, and she is part of the Equity Collective team leading the decolonisation of the curriculum to reduce the attainment/degree gap.
  • the Athena Swan Self-assessment of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law - Bronze award, and she is an external member of the School of Psychology implementation team.


Rula chairs the School Research Ethics Committee, champions research income generation, facilitating training and support, and an active member of the School's research committee. She conducts interdisciplinary research in branding, place marketing, brand trust, cultural brands with a particular interest in social impact and national development, positive psychology and coaching.

She supports research further through continuous engagement in research-led teaching, PhD supervision and examination, editing and reviewing research publications. She contributes to cultural dialogue and research conversations through organising and contributing to international conferences. She is a recognised public speaker and a keen volunteer.

Rula continues to engage with industries Designing and delivering professional and customised training and coaching programmes in addition to consultations across-cultures. She also continues to engage with professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Charted Management Institute, and the European Mentoring and Coaching Centre.

Summary

Educator | Coach | Public Speaker | Consultant | Trainer

Rula is a positive psychology practitioner and coach; brand management and communication specialist with over two decades of diverse experience in the oil industry, business consultancy, and higher education. She has worked with European and Middle Eastern organisations including Shell and the European Commission spanning business and human resource management, strategic planning to marketing. Researches in mental well-being and positive psychology coaching, branding and nation/place marketing.

External roles

  • Positive Psychology Practitioner
  • Leadership, Life and Performance Coach
  • External Examiner, Dublin City University, Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University, Riyadh

CURRENT RESEARCH

Research Studies:

  •  Emotions as indicators of well-being with reference to Islam: an investigation into happiness v. sadness
  • Are global brands agents of modernisation in developing economies? https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/88373
  • Muslims, Trust and Cultural Dialogue, UKRI funded project, Investigator in Trust and Islamic Capital, Trust and Brand loyalty with reference to Islam:  http://www.muslimstrustdialogue.org/index.php/about/the-teamhttps://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK000322%2F1
  • Special issue journal on Trust & Islamic capital:  https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SBR-08-2017-0059/full/pdf?title=editorial
  • Trust & Islamic Capital International & Interdisciplinary Conference, UEL, London: http://www.muslimstrustdialogue.org/index.php/mtcd-in-business-and-finance

https://www.halalbalancing.com/Downloads/Events/2015/UELProgramme.pdf

  •  PREVENT: is it a trusted brand?
  •  Trust, Nation Image and brands with reference to Islam
  •  Brand religiosity, trust and relationship marketing
  •  Trust and Islamic capital
  •   Arab Spring and Nation Brand: the impact on nation image during and after the events
  •  The role of art in cultural diplomacy and the impact of religion, a study of the UAE cultural diplomacy
  •   An examination of the stakeholder approach in brand management
  •   A study of the impact of public diplomacy on nation image 
  •   Nation Brand State: a comparative study in the Middle East
  •   A comparative study of country of origin image: Egyptians and Syrians as producers in the UK market

Keynote Speaker and Expert Consultancy

Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2017), Who's the hero? Muslim women in Arabic literature and trust, Conference on Exploring Contemporary Muslim Art, Culture and Heritage in Britain, 14 September Muslims in Britain Research Network, University of Birmingham, UK.

Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2014) Nation, Brand and Art: would your art tell me who you are?  A Keynote Speech, the Forum of Cultural Diplomacy in the Commonwealth: Celebrating Art and Culture in the Commonwealth as Key Features of Nation Branding, the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, London.

Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2013) Oman Brand and National Identity, Oman Competitiveness Forum December 2013, organised by the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development, Oman.

Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2013) Cultural Bridges and Nation Branding: a case from the Middle East, The London Conference on Cultural Bridges, the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, London.

Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2004), "Enhancing Trade Exchange between Syria and UK through the enhancement of Country-of-Origin Image: Facts and Development Possibilities", Syrian Economic Reform - Expatriates & Specialists Conference, Damascus.

PUBLICATIONS

Book chapters

Religiosity and global brand consumption as an agent of modernisation in developing economies, in Religion and Consumer Behaviour in Developing Nations, Gbadamosi, A. and Ayodele O., Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: London.

Al-Abdulrazak, R.M. (2021).

SMEs Market Growth, in Entrepreneurship Marketing: Principles and Practice, Nwankwo, S. and Gbadamosi, A., Routledge: London.

Al-Abdulrazak, R.M. (2019).

Nation Branding and Place Marketing: an amalgamation of theory and practice, in Contemporary Issues in Marketing. A Synthesis of Theory with Practice, Ayantunji Gbadamosi, SAGE: London.

Al-Abdulrazak, R.M. (2019).

Cultural Diplomacy and the United Arab Emirates, in the Handbook of Islamic Marketing

Al-Abdulrazak, R.M. and Chong, D. . 2011. Sandikci, O. and Rice, G., Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. 

Book review

Book Review- Branding the Nation: The Global Business of National Identity

Al Abdulrazak, R.M, Melissa Aronczyk. 2014. Melissa Aronczyk, Time Higher Education, January 23.

Conference papers

Syria's nation brand and the impact of public diplomacy
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2007. 3rd Annual Colloquium of the AM's Brand, Corporate Identity and Reputation SIG, London.

Nation Brand a source or a result of Destination Branding? Researching Destination Management Policy and Planning: Linking culture, heritage and tourism
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2007. Riga - Latvia.

Arab Spring and Nation Branding
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2012. 3rd International Colloquium on Place Marketing and Nation Branding, Lincoln..

Syria's Nation Brand: is it a choice between security and prosperity?
Al-Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2008. ICIG International Symposium, March 2008, Brighton.

Nation's Image and Trust in Brands associated with Islam
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2015.

How Sustainable the Nation Brand Phenomenon, the 5th International Colloquium on Place Brand Management (ICPBM)
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. . 2015. University of the Valle d'Aosta.

The Branded Nation: a comparative analysis with reference to Syria and the United Arab Emirates 
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. 2016.

Towards better understanding of nation branding
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2010. 2nd International Colloquium on Place Marketing and Nation Branding, London..

Nation Identity-based Brand: Is it a choice between the Nation and the State?
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2008. Academy of Marketing Annual Conference, Aberdeen.

Nation's Influential Factors and Brand Image with reference to Islam, the 8th Global Halal Conference
Al Abdulrazak, R.M.. 2015. Michigan State University.

Stakeholder Approach in Nation Branding A study of cases from the Middle East
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. and Chaney, I. 2009. 5th International Colloquium of the Academy of Marketing Brand, Corporate Identity and Reputation SIG, Cambridge..

Islamic Economic System inspiring Sustainable Development Goals in Islamic Infrastructure Finance, 10th LSE-HBKU on Islamic Infrastructure Finance and Sustainable Islamic Infrastructure Goals
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. . 2016. London School of Economics and Political Science.

Journal articles

Trust, Religiosity, and Relationship Marketing: a Conceptual Overview of Consumer Brand loyalty, Society and Business Review, Vol 12, No. 3.
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. and Gbadamosi, A. (2017).

Trust, and Islamic Capital [Editorial], Society and Business Review, Vol 12, No. 3.
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. and Patel, G. (2017).

Hidden Treasures of Oman
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. . 2014. Economic Focus- quarterly publication of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce Vol. 9, No. 1.

Trust, Religiosity, and Relationship Marketing: a Conceptual Overview of Consumer Brand loyalty
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. and Gbadamosi, A. . 2017. Society and Business Review, Vol 12, No. 3. .

Trust, and Islamic Capital [Editorial], Society and Business Review
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. and Patel, G. . 2017. Society and Business Review, Vol 12, No. 3. .

Thesis

The Branded Nation: a comparative analysis with reference to Syria and the United Arab Emirates (thesis), University of London
Al Abdulrazak, R.M. (2016).

FUNDING

Muslims, Trust and Cultural Dialogue a three years project which was awarded (£341,133) by Research Councils UK, Global Uncertainties - key partner leading the business strand.

TEACHING

BSc (Hons) Marketing

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MODULES

Undergraduate, Postgraduate and MBA modules:

  • Brand Management
  • Strategic Brand Management
  • Marketing in the Digital Age
  • Global & Cross-cultural Marketing
  • Contemporary Issues in Marketing
  • Business Research
  • Marketing Intelligence
  • Marketing Communication

Publications

The last four years of publications can be viewed below. 

Full publications list

Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications

Research repository