Abdelkafi Nizar

Abdelkafi Nizar is an Associate Professor at the School of Management (SOM), Politecnico di Milano, Italy, specializing in Supply Chain Management and Business Model Innovation. He holds a PhD from Hamburg University of Technology and a Master's degree from Technische Universität München. His research focuses on supply chain innovation, sustainability, and business model engineering for industries such as automotive, energy, and manufacturing.

Teaching & Academic Roles

• Core faculty member at Politecnico di Milano, teaching postgraduate courses on Supply Chain Innovation and Management.
• Past roles include Head of Research Unit at Fraunhofer Society (Germany) and Lecturer at the University of Leipzig.
• Guest Professor at Leuphana University Lüneburg (2015) and Research Associate at multiple institutions including TU München and Hamburg University of Technology.

Research Interests

His work bridges supply chain dynamics and business model innovation, with emphases on:

• Supply Chain Servitization & Digital Transformation
• Sustainability in Circular Economies
• Technology Standards & E-Mobility
• Co-Innovation Ecosystems

Recent Article Trends

Recent publications analyze servitization impacts on supply chains, circular business models for third-party operators, and digital decarbonization strategies. He explores how digital tools and co-innovation frameworks enhance organizational agility in energy transitions and manufacturing sectors.

Awards & Service

• Recipient of Best Paper Award at ISPIM 2016 for research on standardization vs. patenting strategies.
• Guest Editor for special issues on Multi-Sided Platforms and Digitalization in Sustainability.
• Active member of the Association of German Professors (VHB) since 2009.

Grants & Labs

Leads research initiatives on coal exit management in Lusatia and digital learning labs for SMILE projects. Collaborates with industry partners to design scalable business models for SMEs in e-mobility and green tech.