Prof. Dr.

Nikolaus Lang

Honorary Professor

Nikolaus S. Lang has been an honorary professor at the University of St.Gallen since 2021 and is Boston Consulting Group’s leader for the Global Advantage practice, as well as a core member of the Industrial Goods and Automotive practices. Over the last 20 years, Nikolaus has supported clients on globalization and mobility related topics in more than 50 emerging and mature markets. A global expert in connectivity, autonomous vehicles, car-sharing, and fleet management, Nikolaus is the founder and director of BCG’s Center for Mobility Innovation, a team of urban mobility experts and digital business builders. This team advises cities, public transportation operators, and mobility and automotive companies around the globe as they create innovative and state-of-the-art mobility solutions.

Nikolaus has written publications on an array of contemporary questions that have offered insight and guidance to policymakers, clients, and BCG teams on topics such as the new era of globalization, global digital transformation, geopolitics and trade impact, mobility innovation and new megacities in emerging markets. He is also a coauthor of BCG’s book, “Beyond Great,” which describes how the world has been transformed due to social tension, economic nationalism, and technological revolution. Business leaders are encouraged to go beyond great and “adopt a radical new playbook—one that helps their companies become resilient in the face of even the most volatile situations.” Previously, Nikolaus was a BCG Henderson Institute Fellow. He examined the art of collaboration in the digital age and the crucial role that cross-border joint ventures, alliances, and digital ecosystems play today. His research determined how to set up and manage these new global collaboration networks and strategically use them to gain a competitive edge. Before joining BCG, Nikolaus worked in the corporate strategy department of the Austrian trading firm Bank Austria Handelsholding.

Education

  • Born in Paris on May 30, 1971: Childhood and primary school education in France, Japan and Austria
  • 1981-1989: Secondary school education at the Lycée francais in Geneva and Vienna
  • 1989-1992: Studies of Business Administration (Grundstudium) at the Wirtschaftsuniversität (WU) Wien
  • 1992-1994: Studies of Business Administration (Hauptstudium) at the University of St. Gallen (HSG)
    • Master Thesis: Vorbereitung eines österreichischen diversifizierten Konzerns auf die EU-Integration (Prof. Gomez, IFB-HSG)
  • 1994-1997: Doctoral studies at the University of St. Gallen (HSG)
    • Doctoral Thesis: Intercultural Management in China: Synergistic Management Approaches in Sino-European and Sino-Japanese Joint Ventures: A Comparative Study (Prof. Brauchlin, FIM-HSG, and Prof. Leuenberger, Institut für Ostasienwirtschaft)
    • Extensive field research (150+ interviews) in China and Japan, funded by the “Schweizer Nationalfonds”
    • Graduation “summa cum laude” in April 1998

Professional Experience

  • 1989-1994: Various internships during university studies:
    • Mondial Congress, Vienna – Conference Management
    • Bank Austria Handelsholding, Vienna – Strategic Controlling
    • Austrian Trade Delegation, Santiago de Chile – Export Promotion
    • Boston Consulting Group, Düsseldorf – Strategy Consulting
  • 1994-1996: University assistant with Prof. Brauchlin and colleagues at the Research Institute for International Management (FIM-HSG)
  • 1998-today: Boston Consulting Group
  • 1998-2000: Associate & Consultant at BCG Hamburg with focus on German automotive and machinery clients
  • 2000-2002: Project Leader at BCG Kuala Lumpur with focus on Southeast Asian energy clients
  • 2003-2006: Principal at BCG Paris and Munich with focus on European automotive and machinery clients
  • 2006-2013: Partner and Managing Director at BCG Munich with focus on global automotive & mobility clients
  • 2013-today: Senior Partner and Managing Director at BCG Munich with focus on three key areas:
    • Global Practice Leader for BCG’s Global Advantage Practice focusing on geopolitics & trade, cross-border activities and emerging markets
    • Member of BCG’s Global Leadership Team consisting of Executive Committee, Practice Leaders, and System Leaders
    • Founder & Director of BCG’s Centre for Mobility Innovation, working at the crossroads of automotive & mobility clients, infrastructure players and cities
  • 2013-today: Cooperation with the World Economic Forum on the topic of “Future of Mobility”
    • 2013-2018: Project work on “Future of Mobility” leading to the launch of a fleet of autonomous vehicles in the city of Boston
    • 2019-today: Member in WEF’s “Global Urban and Autonomous Mobility Council”