Organizational Strategist · Researcher · Leadership Advisor

Abi Sriharan

Associate Professor of Organizational Strategy and Innovation at Ontario Tech University and Founder of The SHIFT Research Lab.

Helping leaders and organizations make better strategic decisions in an era of rapid technological change.

Dr. Abi Sriharan
Helping leaders make better strategic decisions in an uncertain world.

The question that shaped my work.

Throughout my work as a management consultant, organizational strategist, and leadership advisor, I have had the privilege of working with CEOs, executive teams, boards, entrepreneurs, and public sector leaders across Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America.

Regardless of geography or sector, one question surfaced repeatedly:

“Technology is changing faster than I and my organization are ready for. How do I lead through that?”

That question has shaped my research journey, from my doctoral studies at the University of Oxford to my current role as Associate Professor of Organizational Strategy and Innovation at Ontario Tech University and Founder of The SHIFT Research Lab.

My research examines how leaders and organizations make strategic choices about artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies, and how they build the capabilities to continually adapt in an uncertain world.

I believe organizational research should not simply explain organizations. It should help improve them.

That is why I work with organizations and leadership teams to co-design research, learning experiences, and practical solutions that are rigorous, relevant, and capable of creating meaningful impact.

Selected credentials and impact

DPhilUniversity of Oxford
Associate ProfessorOntario Tech University
FounderThe SHIFT Research Lab
Status-Only ProfessorUniversity of Toronto
FacultyHarvard Macy Institute
Harvard Macy ScholarLeading Innovations in Health Care and Education, 2009–2010
Master Certified CoachInternational Coaching Federation
Vice-Chancellor’s CIVIC AwardUniversity of Oxford
$7M+Competitive research funding since 2020
40+Peer-Reviewed and Scholarly Publications
30+International invited keynotes
Five continentsLeadership, advisory, and executive education experience

The SHIFT Research Lab

Strategy · Human Intelligence · Frontier Technologies

SHIFT brings researchers, students, organizations, and leadership teams together to study how strategic decisions are made, how organizational capabilities develop, and how emerging technologies can be governed responsibly.

Explore SHIFT ↗

Strategic Advisory.

I work selectively with organizations facing consequential questions about artificial intelligence, organizational transformation, governance, executive decision-making, and leadership capability.

AI strategy Executive strategy retreats Organizational readiness Governance Leadership development Simulation-based strategic foresight
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Executive speaker bio.

Dr. Abi Sriharan is an organizational strategist, researcher, and executive educator who helps leaders navigate one of today’s defining challenges: making strategic decisions in an era of rapid technological change.

As Associate Professor of Organizational Strategy and Innovation at Ontario Tech University and Founder of The SHIFT Research Lab, her research examines how organizations build the capabilities to make responsible, adaptive decisions about artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies.

Before entering academia, Dr. Sriharan advised organizations and leadership teams across Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America. She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, is Faculty at the Harvard Macy Institute, a Status-Only Professor at the University of Toronto, and a Master Certified Coach. Her research has attracted more than $7 million in competitive funding, and she has delivered more than 30 invited keynotes internationally.

Writing and ideas.

Essays and reflections on strategy, leadership, organizational learning, artificial intelligence, and the future of work.

Let’s begin a conversation.

For research collaborations, speaking invitations, executive education, media enquiries, and selected strategic advisory engagements.