Catherine Cai

Dr. Catherine Cai is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy and International Management at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), within the Faculty of Business and Law, Department of Business & Management. With over 15 years of experience in higher education institutions in the UK and the Netherlands, she has established herself as an expert in international business strategy and emerging market multinational enterprises.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD from the University of Groningen
• PG Cert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education with distinction from UWE
• MRes
• BSc

Catherine's research focuses on international business strategy, particularly examining emerging market multinational enterprises. Her expertise spans cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, ownership structure effects, top management team characteristics, ESG factors in banking and supply chains, and digital transformation. She employs comparative institutional analysis to understand how different national contexts shape business strategies, with particular focus on Brazil and China as emerging market economies.

Her publication record demonstrates a consistent trajectory of research examining how institutional contexts influence corporate strategic decisions in emerging markets. Recent work has expanded into sustainable business practices and digital innovation, reflecting evolving research interests while maintaining her core focus on international business strategy in emerging economies.

Among her notable achievements:

• Shortlisted for the Management Education Practice Award (Early Career Track) at the 2018 British Academy of Management Conference
• Recipient of the Exceptional Contribution Award from UWE Bristol in 2019
• Finalist for the CGIO Best Paper in International Corporate Governance (2014)
• Winner of the Best COST Think Tank Proposal Award (2010)
• Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Catherine serves as the Membership Representative of the Strategy SIG of the British Academy of Management and has previously led the BA(Hons) International Business and BA(Hons) International Business Management programs. She is dedicated to preparing students to become responsible global citizens through her teaching in strategic management and international business courses, including dissertation supervision.