Reza Akbari

Dr Reza Akbari is the Acting Academic Head (Management, Tourism & Governance), MBA Academic Director, and Senior Lecturer (Supply Chain Management) at James Cook University. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Victoria University, an MBA from University Putra Malaysia, and teaching qualifications from RMIT University and Harvard University (BOK Centre).

With over 13 years of academic experience across Australia and Asia, Reza has taught at institutions such as RMIT University, Victoria University, and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City. He also brings 13 years of industry experience in IT, construction, retail, and education management, having worked internationally in Australia, the UK, Germany, Iran, Malaysia, and Vietnam. From 2016 to 2021, he was the Senior Programme Manager for the Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme at RMIT Vietnam, managing over 750 students across multiple campuses.

Reza is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and an award-winning educator, recognised with RMIT’s 2019 Excellence in Teaching and Learning award for “Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.” He is also a Certified Professional in Logistics Management (CPLM) and holds memberships in several professional bodies.

Reza has published over 40 journal articles and book chapters in top-tier journals. His research has been featured by the World Health Organization (WHO) and recognised by the Vietnamese government. He serves on the editorial board of Operations Management Research and has been a guest editor for special issues on supply chain management and sustainability in prominent journals. As a sought-after speaker, Reza has delivered keynote addresses at international conferences in Vietnam and China. He also regularly reviews for leading academic publications.

Currently, he supervises PhD candidates and continues to advance research in sustainable supply chains, Industry 4.0 technologies, and global operations.