Thomas Zellweger

Prof. Dr. Thomas Zellweger is a Full Professor of Business Administration specializing in Family Business at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. He serves as Director of the Swiss Research Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (KMU-HSG) and holds visiting professorships at Stanford University, Wharton School, and the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on family business governance, entrepreneurship, strategic management, and succession processes. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2018 European Academy of Management Best Book Award for Managing the Family Business: Theory and Practice.

Professional Career:

• Visiting Professorships at Stanford University, Wharton School, Babson College, University of British Columbia, and University of Witten/Herdecke
• Former Marketing Director at a Brussels-based fintech startup
• PhD from the University of St. Gallen (summa cum laude)

Research Interests:

• Family business governance and succession strategies
• Entrepreneurship dynamics and decision-making
• Corporate governance mechanisms in family firms
• Strategic management in multi-generational enterprises

Awards & Honors:

• 2024 International Family Enterprise Research Academy Best Paper Award
• 2020 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Amongst Most Influential Economists (Research)
• 2018 Best Management Book Award (EURAM)
• 2016 Emerald Citations of Excellence

Teaching & Projects:

• Courses: Managing the Family Business (graduate), Entrepreneurship (graduate), Foundational Theories of Strategy (PhD)
• Key projects: Family Firm Governance and Strategy, Succession in Family Firms

His work has been featured in Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, and media outlets like The Economist and Bloomberg.