Professor Martin Spraggon

Professor Martin Spraggon Hernandez is a rare blend of clinical psychologist, martial artist, entrepreneur, and Professor of Strategy & Innovation—known for turning disruption into disciplined execution and human-centered performance. With three decades of international experience across the UAE, Europe, and the Americas, he brings a powerful combination of behavioral science, strategic clarity, and stagecraft: he doesn’t just inspire audiences—he equips leaders to act. Martin has operated at the intersection of academia, government, and industry in roles spanning Dean, senior academic leadership, and ecosystem development.

He currently serves as Outreach Advisor to Abu Dhabi Gaming (Department of Culture and Tourism), building partnerships across government, universities, studios, and global providers to accelerate talent pipelines, IP creation, and applied-AI outcomes. His career also includes leading strategic partnerships across security and defence-adjacent sectors—high-stakes environments where trust, speed, and measurable delivery are non-negotiable.

A builder of premium executive education, Martin has created and scaled high-impact leadership programs and advisory engagements for boards and senior leadership teams. He has delivered training and keynotes for boards, ministries, and major institutions, including MOFA, MOI, MOD, Department of Culture, Department of Finance, RTA, DP World, ADNOC, and Al Rostamani, among many others.

He is frequently invited into mission-driven settings where leaders must make decisions under ambiguity, pressure, and public scrutiny. What makes Martin exceptional on stage is the experience he designs. Trained in psychology and dramatic arts, he reads the room quickly, builds trust fast, and sustains energy through interaction, live demonstrations, and crisp storytelling.

His martial arts discipline adds a distinctive edge: calm under pressure, sharp focus, and a philosophy of continuous improvement that resonates with executives, founders, and public-sector leaders alike. Audiences leave feeling lifted—but also armed with frameworks, language, and micro-practices they can apply immediately. A paid speaker and advisor since 2005, Martin speaks on strategy execution, innovation culture, emotionally intelligent leadership, and the responsible adoption of frontier technologies such as AI. He is the co-author of two books and has published 100+ peer-reviewed works, bringing uncommon credibility to every keynote. If you want a speaker who can command the room, move people, and leave them with practical next steps—Professor Spraggon delivers.