Profile
Ayah Sarhan is a PhD researcher in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Newcastle University Business School. Her research explores the factors shaping entrepreneurial decisions and action, drawing on her international experience as an executive coach, educator, entrepreneur and community psychologist.
Ayah holds an Executive Coaching certification from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Community Psychology from the American University in Cairo.
She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Assoc CIPD), focusing on Learning and Development, and a certified Master Trainer in Gordon Training International’s Effectiveness programmes.
She has worked with executives and entrepreneurs internationally across banking, financial services, FMCG, oil and gas, manufacturing, tourism, education, pharmaceuticals and IT, alongside NGOs and government organisations.
This experience informs her global mindset, cultural understanding and supportive, person-centred approach, combining commercial insight with empathy, attentive listening and practical guidance.
As a community psychologist and social activist, Ayah volunteers to design and develop interventions supporting the emotional and social empowerment of mothers and young people. In Egypt, she collaborated on a national parenting programme, contributing to training social workers and medical practitioners to support vulnerable community members under the auspices of relevant government ministries and UNICEF.
Alongside her doctoral research, Ayah teaches business, management and accounting at Newcastle University International Study Centre. Her work connects research, professional practice and community engagement to support learning, strengthen relationships and enable meaningful change across diverse cultural, organisational and social contexts.
Research
Title: "Actors shaping entrepreneurs"
Focused on decision-making process (for AI adoption)