Ruth Harwood

Ruth is an international business consultant and ICF-certified coach specializing in negotiation, mediation, conflict management, communication and team-building, leadership development, executive coaching, strategic planning, competitive intelligence and labor relations.

Working extensively in Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., Ruth designs and teaches courses in international negotiation, conflict resolution, organizational and cross-cultural communication, crisis management and other business topics, training company executives, management teams and government leaders to better face the demands of today’s global market. She has also taught as an adjunct professor in some of the top MBA and Executive Education programs in the world, including Thunderbird and the Center for Creative Leadership.

In addition to her strong teaching and coaching background, Ruth has extensive experience as a private consultant, assisting clients to prepare and execute negotiation strategies, develop business intelligence programs, and create high-performance management teams. She has assisted in the development of strategic planning objectives, expatriate policies, and the reorganization of several clients’ international divisions. Her diverse experience includes the petroleum, pharmaceutical, automotive, banking, publishing, and electronics industries, among many others. Ruth is also in demand as a conference panelist, presenting communication-related topics in both English and Spanish, and is often interviewed in both print and TV media.

Prior to her career as a consultant, Ruth was a litigation strategy specialist in the areas of product liability, medical malpractice, deceptive trade practices, and labor relations. She has also worked in management capacities in both the public and private sectors, giving her a deep understanding of the dynamics in many types of organizations, from governments to multinationals to small family businesses.

Ruth received her MBA and Masters Degree in International Management from Thunderbird, where she specialized in International Relations, Business Intelligence, and Cross-Cultural Strategic Management. She studied law at Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, Texas, and received her Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude in International Politics at the University of Texas in Austin. Besides English, Ruth speaks Spanish, Portuguese and French. She has lived in the U.S., Colombia, France, Switzerland, and currently resides in Spain.

Companies

• Managing Partner Dracos Consulting International (1995)
• Associate Trainer Center for Creative Leadership (2008 — 2010)
• Adjunct professor Thunderbird School of Global Management (1996 — 2004)

Education

• mba/mim Thunderbird School of Global Management (1994 — 1995)
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - cum laude The University of Texas at Austin (1977 — 1980)