Department of International Economics, Government and Business

My research focuses on global innovation, specifically, how organizations overcome and leverage distance to innovate successfully. This research helps firms capitalize on their innovation potential, especially technology and R&D-related opportunities, in the context of changing global markets, emerging competitors, and disruptive technologies.

I am Managing Director of the Research Center for Global R&D and Innovation (GLORAD), a network I founded in 2003 to facilitate joint research for PhD students at Tsinghua and the University of St. Gallen. The network has since grown to include researchers in Silicon Valley, Brazil, and other institutions in Europe. I have visiting faculty appointments at KTU in Lithuania, USP in Sao Paulo, and SDU in Odense, Denmark. Previously, I was a professor of technology management at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Skoltech in Moscow, and IMD in Lausanne. I also was a vice president/associate partner with PRTM Management Consultants in Shanghai, and I ran (and later sold) a technology intelligence firm I founded in Hong Kong and Shanghai. I did my PhD at the University of St. Gallen after a MSc in Computer Science at ETH Zurich, and I was a postdoc at Harvard University.

At CBS, I look for students and companies wanting to expand their international innovation competencies, especially with regard to emerging markets such as China and India, and make them proficient in engaging global customers and competitors. I also look for students willing to explore how to leverage responsible innovation, frugal innovation, and reverse innovation, in order to contribute to social and ethical value creation.