IMD is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon J Evenett as Professor of Geopolitics and Strategy. Evenett is a leading analyst of the global business environment and is currently Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment. He joins IMD from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, where he was Professor of International Trade and Economic Development and, for over a decade, served as the Academic Director of the St Gallen MBA.
For nearly 30 years, Evenett has guided board members, senior executives, EMBAs, and MBAs in understanding the significant shifts in the global business environment and their implications for firm operations, performance, and strategy. As geopolitical rivalry has intensified over the past decade, Evenett has been helping companies and executives interpret these developments, evaluate their impact, and build their geopolitical acumen.
To offer innovative evidence-based solutions, Evenett has developed several policy intelligence initiatives that provide real-time information on legal, policy, and regulatory developments worldwide. He founded the St Gallen Endowment for Prosperity Through Trade (SGEPT) in partnership with the Max Schmidheiny Foundation and the University of St. Gallen, which now employs a team of around 40 professionals.
SGEPT currently hosts three leading independent commercial policy monitoring initiatives: the Global Trade Alert, a key resource for trade monitoring and for assessing trade tensions for 15 years, the New Industrial Policy Observatory, and the Digital Policy Alert. Additionally, he launched the Crux of Capitalism initiative in 2023, which provides valuable insights into the performance of firms and sectors in 21 major economies.
Upon joining IMD, Evenett stated, “I am excited to become part of IMD, known for its exceptional faculty and dedicated professionals who consistently create transformative experiences for individuals, companies, and governments. Initially, I will focus on the intersection of geopolitics and corporate strategy, but I also plan on sharing insights on corporate turnarounds, value-enhancement strategies, and broader issues concerning the role of business in society and the challenges facing Democratic Capitalism.”
Evenett is the author and co-author of over 250 publications and shares his expertise with diverse audiences through blogs and newspaper columns. He is frequently cited in global media and has published extensively in leading academic journals, including The Journal of International Business Policy, the Journal of International Economic Law, and the Journal of Political Economy. Among his recent works are The Scramble for Raw Materials: Time to Take Stock? co-authored with Johannes Fritz, and “The Return of Industrial Policy in Data,” a co-authored journal article.
Seán Meehan, Professor of Marketing and Management and Dean of Faculty at IMD said, “We warmly welcome Simon Evenett to IMD’s faculty. He adds to our significant capabilities in helping our participants navigate an extremely challenging global trade environment. We are looking forward to working with him as he further develops his groundbreaking work.”
