Nicolai J. Foss

Nicolai J. Foss is a Professor of Strategy at the Department of Strategy and Innovation, Copenhagen Business School (CBS). He holds additional roles as Honorary Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Denmark, External Chair of the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies (2020–2025), and Professor II at the Norwegian School of Economics. A Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog, he previously held the Rodolfo Debenedetti Chair of Entrepreneurship at Bocconi University (2016–2019). His academic journey includes degrees from the University of Copenhagen (M.Sc., 1989) and a PhD from CBS (1993). He has held visiting professorships at Warwick, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and others.

Research interests focus on strategic management (resource-based view, microfoundations), organizational design (knowledge processes, open innovation), entrepreneurship (cross-country analyses, strategic entrepreneurship), and social science methodology. He has authored over 266 journal articles, 109 book chapters, and 26 books, with a Google Scholar h-index of 116 and ~60,000 citations. Recognitions include Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researcher status since 2018 and being ranked the 13th most cited living business scholar globally.

Professional contributions include founding CBS’s Department of Strategic Management and Globalization (2005), directing World Class Environment programs at CBS, and serving on ERC panels and the Strategic Management Society board. He co-founded influential think tanks like the Danish Research Unit for Industrial Dynamics and CEPOS. His work is featured in outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Forbes, and he has been a columnist for Danish newspapers Børsen and Berlingske.