Thomas Aichner

Thomas Aichner is a Lecturer at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano's Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, and currently serves as Scientific Director of the South Tyrol Business School. He holds a joint PhD in Marketing from the University of Padova and ESCP Business School (Berlin), with the honor of Doctor Europaeus. His research focuses on country of origin effects, mass customization, digital management, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, social media, and disability/inclusion.

He previously served as an Associate Professor of Marketing at John Cabot University (Rome) and an Assistant Professor at Alfaisal University (Riyadh). His work includes analyzing cross-channel customer behavior in omnichannel marketing, tracing social media's evolution over 25 years, and exploring the erosion of internet anonymity. He has also contributed to mass customization strategies and disability rights advocacy through roles like President of ANMIC South Tyrol.

Research Highlights:
- Journal of Global Marketing Editorial Board (since 2017)
- Keynote speaker at Fraunhofer Italia's 10th-anniversary event on mass customization
- Co-authored Mass Customization: An Exploration of European Characteristics (Springer, 2011)
- Explored scandals' spillover effects on national brand perceptions
- Pioneered gamification in marketing education

Teaching: Courses in B2B marketing, sales management, and digital marketing analytics. Emphasizes real-world applications via simulations, client projects, and critical discussions.