Dr Djahan Salehabadi
Design Thinking: A Human-Centred Approach to Problem Solving
Dr Djahan Banoo Salehabadi is a sociologist, educator and executive coach who blends scientific rigor, humour and real-world application in leadership development. She has coached and trained leaders at top organisations including Novartis, Salesforce, BlackRock, LEGO, Google, Warner Bros. and Apple. Committed to translating research into practice, she helps individuals and teams navigate complexity, enhance performance and drive meaningful change.
Djahan earned her BA from Dartmouth College (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and holds an MS and PhD in development sociology from Cornell University. She is certified at the PCC level by the International Coaching Federation, with research supported by institutions such as the US and Swiss national science foundations and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
At D-MTEC she teaches design thinking as both a structured method and a transformative mindset, helping individuals and organisations solve problems creatively, foster collaboration and drive innovation.