Dr. Béatrice Hecht-El Minshawi
Dr. Béatrice Hecht-El Minshawi is the founder, president and CEO of Interkultur (Bremen), which facilitates intercultural competency and the management of cultural diversity within organizations. An important goal of her institute is to seek out creative solutions within the commonalities of human diversity, and eliminate misunderstandings by introducing culturally sensitive concepts and methods. The institute offers consultation to individuals and organizations during the process of transitioning into an intercultural mode of thinking, with the aim of strengthening and expanding the competencies of people living and working in an intercultural context, and sensitively managing change at the levels of thinking, behavior and organizational structure.
With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Hecht-El Minshawi is an expert facilitator in intercultural relationships and interaction, and has directed training for personnel and organizational development, generating multicultural teams and mediation for global executives and professionals. In her commitment to versatility, she has enhanced cultural sensitivities at individual, group and corporate levels. Her work highlights the benefits and potential of diversity not only for a greater success in the global economy, but one based in more positive professional inter-relationships.
She has written many publications and articles over the years related to the intercultural implications of globalization, and her most recent book in english translation is Intercultural Competence: Managing Cultural Diversity (Kellner-Verlag, Bremen, 2009), written with J. Berninghausen.
Prior to founding Interkultur, Dr. Hecht-El Minshawi travelled widely, spending many years conducting various levels of research in intercultural studies throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as conducting many seminars, workshops and lecture presentations around intercultural themes and issues for companies, NGOs, public service, not-for-profit organizations and individuals.
She is a member of SIETAR (The International Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research), the BPW Germany - Club Bremen (International Federation of Business and Professional Women), and is a co-founder of the IAF Bremen (Association of Bi-National Families and Partnerships).
Dr. Hecht-El Minshawi holds educational degrees (Ph.D./M.A.) from Bremen University focused on social pedagogy and sociology, with an emphasis on immigration and ethnic relations, global economic development, and intercultural competencies. She is fluent in several languages (alongside her native German), including English, Farsi Dari, and Arabic.