Prof. Dr.

Christoph Lechner

Professor of Strategic Management

Christoph is a chaired professor of strategic management at the University of St. Gallen, director of its Institute of Management & Strategy (IOMS-HSG) and academic director of its “Master in General Management” (MGM).

Christoph was a board member of Helvetia (insurance, Swiss Stock Exchange) from 2007-2022, vice president of Hügli (food, Swiss Stock Exchange) from 2000-2018 until it was sold to Bell/ Coop Group, and co-founded SwissVBS, a digital solution firm in 2002, until it was sold in 2018 to BTS Global Business Consulting, Sweden. He started his business career by working for 7 years for Deutsche Bank Group, including an apprenticeship program, corporate banking, and investment banking in Germany and Singapore. He is still active in the private equity industry with investments in later stage firms in the food and banking/ insurance industry.

Leading Competence Centers

Global and Corporate Strategy

Member of Competence Centers

Innovative Business Models and Competitive Strategies

About

Prof. Dr. Christoph Lechner

His current research interests are in the areas of digital platforms, ecosystems, and corporate strategy. His research has won several awards, such as the Sumantra Ghoshal research and practice award of the Academy of Management, the best conference paper award of the Strategic Management Society, or the best German book award of the VHB Society.

He was able to publish his work in leading academic journals such as Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Long Range Planning, Journal of Management, Strategy Science, as well as in practitioner journals such as Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Manager, or Financial Times. He was guest professor at Wharton business school (USA), IAE Business School (Argentina), University of Connecticut (USA), and University of California (USA).

He holds a master’s in arts in economics from Wayne State University, a master’s in business administration from University of Augsburg, and a PhD from University of St. Gallen. During his career, he received academic job offers from Bocconi (Italy), EM Lyon (France), University of Mannheim (Germany), and ESMT (Germany).

CV & Awards

Education

Year	Degree	Institution
1999-2004	Habilitation in Strategic Management	University of St.Gallen, Switzerland
1995-1999	Ph.D. in Strategic Management	University of St.Gallen, Switzerland
1989-1995	Business administration degree (MBA)	University of Augsburg, Germany
1992-1993	Master of Arts in Economics	Wayne State University, USA
1987-1989	“Qualified Banker”	Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Augsburg, Germany
1977-1986	Secondary Education	Grammar School, St. Stephan, Augsburg, Germany

Academic Employment

Year	Position	University
2004–today	Chaired Professor of Strategic Management & Director at the IOMS-HSG	University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
2003–today	Professor of Strategic Management	Bocconi University, Italy; EM Lyon (France); ESMT (Germany) and University of Mannheim (Germany)
2019	Guest Professor	Paul Merage School of Business, University of California Irvine, USA
2009	Guest Professor	IAE Business School, Austral University, Argentina
2003	Guest Professor	The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA
2002	Guest Professor	School of Business, University of Connecticut, USA
1998-2002	Senior Lecturer of Strategic Management	University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
1995-1998	Research Assistant	Institute of Management & Strategy, University of St.Gallen, Switzerland

Non-Academic Employment

Year	Position
2006-today	Member of the Board of Directors of Helvetia (insurance), listed at Swiss Stock Exchange
2001-2019	Vice Chairman of Hügli (food), listed at Swiss Stock Exchange – sold to Bell Food in 2019
2001-2019	Founding partner of Swiss VBS (digital visualization), Toronto/ Canada (sold in 2019 to Swedish BTS Group)
1987-1995	Various Positions at Deutsche Bank Group: Vocational Program, Corporate Banking, Assistant of Managing Director (Germany); Corporate Finance (Singapore)
1986-1987	Military Service (Mandatory), Music Corps 10, French Horn Player, Germany

Professional Positions (University)

Year	Position	University
2020–today	Member of the Supervisory Board	Institute of Business Informatics, University of St.Gallen
2016–today	Academic Director of the “Master of Business Management” program	University of St.Gallen, Switzerland
2007–today	Member of the Supervisory Board	Institute for Insurance Economics (I.VW), University of St.Gallen, Switzerland
2004–today	Member of the Assembly of the School of Management and Senate	University of St.Gallen, Switzerland

Awards

Year	Award	Awarding organization
2021	Finalist for the Best Conference Paper Award (together with Maximilian Dexheimer): How to stand out from the Crowd: Detecting Patterns in App Endorsements on the App-Store	Strategic Management Society
2020	Finalist for the “Managerial Practice Award” with the title: “Resolving the paradox of interdependency and strategic renewal in activity systems”, together with Daniel Albert & Markus Kreutzer	Academy of Management Review
2010	Best Lecturer Award, MBA Program	University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
2008	Best Lecturer Award, MBA Program	University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
2006	Winner of the Sumantra Ghoshal Research and Practice Award of the Business Policy and Strategy Division	Academy of Management
2006	Distinguished Paper Award of the Business Policy and Strategy Division	Academy of Management
2005	Winner of the SMS Best Conference Paper Award, International Conference	Strategic Management Society
2004	Finalist for the SMS Best Conference Paper Award, International Conference	Strategic Management Society
2001	‘Best German Business Book’ for the book: “Strategisches Management: Wie Strategische Initiativen zum Wandel führen”	CapGemini Ernst&Young Award
1999	Winner of the Dr. Peter-Werhahn-Price for Outstanding Achievements in Business Administration and Philosophy of Science	University of St.Gallen, Switzerland
1992-1993	German Academic Exchange Service scholarship, Master in Economics	DAAD, USA

Teaching on Bachelor, Master and PhD level

Year	Course	Degree
2022	Alliances, Digital Platforms & Ecosystems (Master in General Management)	Master
2017–today	Strategic Management	Bachelor
2006–today	Theoretical Perspectives in Strategy & Management	PhD
1999-2010	Managing Professional Service Firms	Master
1999-2009	Strategy Process Research	PhD
2005-2009	Alliance and Network Strategy	Master
2001-2002	Topics in Strategy	Master
2001-2002	Perspectives on Organizations	Master
2001-2002	Corporate Strategy	Master
1999-2001	Cases and Excercises in Business Administration	Bachelor
1999-2001	Organizational Capabilities & Resource-based-view of Strategy	Bachelor

Teaching on the Executive Education Level

Year	Course	Degree
1997–today	Lecturer of selected topics in strategic management	Public program
1997-2019	Strategic Management	Executive MBA
2005-2010	Managing Professional Service Firms	MBA
1998-2007	Co-Organizer and Speaker of the Forum on Managing Professional Service Firms	University of St.Gallen
2003-2006	Strategic Management	Global EMBA
2001-2005	Strategic Management	EMBA

Research Grants

Year	Sponsor and topic	Amount of funding
2019-today	Industry Consortium on Platforms and Ecosystems with Credit Suisse, Klöckner, Novartis, and Zürich Insurance	CHF 320’000
2020	Research Fund (GFF) of University of St. Gallen for research on “Corporate Turaround Actions”	CHF 100’000
2010-2013	Swiss National Fund (SNF), “Managing Corporate Programs”	CHF 320’863
2009-2011	Regula & Fredy Lienhard Foundation, “Responsible Corporate Competitiveness & Responsible Leadership”	CHF 300’000
2010	Research Fund (GFF) of the University of St. Gallen, “Activity Systems and their Renewal”	CHF 95’000
2006-2008	Industry Consortium with 5 major European corporations, “Strategy Process Modes for Growth Initiatives”	CHF 160’000
2008	Basic Research Fund (GFF) of the University of St. Gallen, 2008, “Exploring Corporate Programs”	CHF 40’000
2005-2006	Industry Consortium with 4 major European corporations, “Shaping Strategy Processes”	CHF 80’000

Invited Research Talks

Bocconi University (Italy), Cass Business School (UK), European Business School EBS (Germany), EM Lyon (France), FU Berlin (Germany), Helsinki University of Technology (Finland), IAE Business School (Universidad Austral, Argentina), IMD (Switzerland), Irvine University (USA), Kelly School of Business (Indiana University, USA), LMU München (Germany), University Zürich (Switzerland), Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania, USA)

Publications

Journal Articles

Lechner, C., Dexheimer, M. J. (2019). Ökosysteme: Eine neue Strategie im digitalen Zeitalter?. OrganisationsEntwicklung, 3, 38-43. Verlagsgruppe Handelsblatt. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/99402
Dexheimer, M. J., Lechner, C. (2019). Ökosystem-basierte Wettbewerbsstrategien. Die Unternehmung, 4, 308. Haupt. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/99166
Kunisch, S. G. T., Keil, T., Boppel, M., Lechner, C. (2019). Strategic initiative portfolios: how to manage strategic challenges better than one at a time. Business Horizons, 62/4, 529-537. Elsevier. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2019.03.007
Kreutzer, M., Cardinal, L. B., Walter, J., Lechner, C. (2016). Formal and informal control as complement or substitute. Strategy Science, 1(4), 235-255. INFORMS, Catonsville, MD. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/103657
Walter, J., Lechner, C., Kellermanns, F. W. (2016). Learning activities, exploration and the performance of strategic activities. Journal of Management, 42(3), 769-802. Sage Publ., Thousand Oaks, CA. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313506463
Albert, D., Kreutzer, M., Lechner, C. (2015). Resolving the paradox of interdependency and strategic renewal in activity systems. Academy of Management Review, 40(2), 210-234. Academy of Management, Briarcliff Manor, NY. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2012.0177

Conference Papers

Alexander Göritz, Tim Meyer, Christoph Lechner (2023). Managing Evolving Ecosystems? How Orchestrators Balance High and Low Levels of Control During Ecosystem Evolution. https://legacy.strategicmanagement.net/toronto/tools/session-details?sessionId=2729
Dexheimer, M. J., Lechner, C. (2019). A competitive dynamics view on complementor commitment. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/99165

Case Studies

Christoph Lechner, Theresa Maria Seehofer, Max Steiner (2024). The Need for Professional Service Firms. University of St. Gallen, The Case Centre. https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=195300
Seehofer, T. M., Lechner, C. (2023). Evolution of the 'HOME' Ecosystem: The Case of Helvetia. (323-0072-1). University of St. Gallen, The Case Centre. http://casecent.re/p/189989
Theresa Maria Seehofer, Christoph Lechner, Max Steiner (2023). Clariant (D): Less is More - Becoming a Lean Organization (2020-2023). University of St. Gallen, The Case Centre. https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=193696
Lechner, C., Dexheimer, M. J. (2020). Clariant (C): Merger Talks and New Investors (2017-2019). Case Study and Teaching Note. http://casecent.re/p/174579
Lechner, C., Dexheimer, M. J. (2020). Clariant (B): On the Route to Profitable Growth (2011-2016). Case Study and Teaching Note. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/112925
Lechner, C., Dexheimer, M. J. (2020). Clariant (A): Steering Through Turbulent Waters (2008-2010). Case Study and Teaching Note. http://casecent.re/p/174577
Reiter, T., Stonig, J., Dexheimer, M. J., Lechner, C. (2018). SHAPING A MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM: THE CASE OF CAR2GO IN CHINA. (318-0293-1). University of St. Gallen, The Case Centre. https://www.thecasecentre.org/educators/products/view&&id=157209

External Engagements

External Activities

Year	Activity
2010	Member of the Conference Committee: “Intersections of Strategy Processes and Strategy Practices”, Strategic Management Society, Lapland (Finland)
2008-today	Member of the Editorial Board, Strategic Management Journal
2008-today	Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Management Studies
2008-2013	Affiliate of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Industries Studies Program
2008-2010	Elected Officer, Program Chair & Chairman of the Strategy Process Interest Group, Strategic Management Society
2007-today	Member of the Editorial Board, Long Range Planning
2006-today	Member of the Association of German Professors of Management (VHB)
2005-2009	Member of the Jury: Annual Best Conference Paper Award, Strategic Management Society
2001-today	Member of the Academy of Management
2001	Member of the Conference Committee: “Strategy Process Research”, Strategic Management Society, St. Gallen (Switzerland)
2000-today	Reviewer for the Swiss National Foundation (SNF)
2000-2013	Ad-hoc Reviewer for Journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of International Business Studies, & Reviewer for conferences such as AoM, SMS, EGOS, or VHB
1998-today	Member of the Strategic Management Society

Interviews, Articles & Media Coverage

Bayerischer Rundfunk, Bayerisches Fernsehen, Bilanz, Bloomberg, Cash TV, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Financial Times Deutschland (FT), Harvard Business Manager, Handelsblatt, Handelszeitung, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), Radio Top (Ostschweiz), Spiegel Online, St. Galler Tagblatt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Stern (Neon), Schweizer Radio DRS & 10vor10, Wall Street Journal, etc.

Srategy Advisory (since 2005)

Such as Corporate Strategy (chemicals), Growth Strategy Asia (Private banking), Growth Initiative (food), Asset Management: global integration of 37 firms (insurance), New Business Model (retail), Reorganization (industrial machinery), Strategy-Audit of Top Management Team (banking), Entry into European Cloud computing market (high-tech), Post-Merger Integration (industry), Restructuring (food), Ecosystem Strategy (premium white goods)