Willem Smit, PhD is an international and multi-disciplinary marketing and entrepreneurship scholar, whose research focuses on people, brands and firms wishing to leave a mark. In particular, his studies are on how they make strategic decisions, like branding, channel collaboration and new market creation. These decisions fascinate him. His interest goes beyond these decisions: it also involves the leaders making them. He focuses on how marketers and entrepreneurs interpret, create, and lead a marketplace – and how they market their careers. Hence, his research portfolio centers on three topics: (1) Strategy Making and the Usages of Market Intelligence, (2) Branding: retail branding, global branding, family business branding, and (3) Decision makers behind the brands: Chief Marketing Officers and their career paths.
Prior to moving to the region of Singapore-Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand, the SMIT nations in 2011, Willem earned his PhD from the RSM Erasmus University in 2006. He joined IMD as a research fellow and began lecturing at the Université de Lausanne. He currently holds teaching positions at various schools in the region, among others: Singapore Management University, an MIT affiliate Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation, Taylor's University, and Hult Shanghai.
Thus far, Willem has published his studies in the Harvard Business Review, Journal of Business Venturing, and the Financial Times among others. His work has also received media attention in publications, such as Times and Newsweek.
Besides traditional print publications, Willem experiments with disseminating his research findings through new social media. His “Which Chinese/South African/Singapore/Indian brands are Best for the World” video clip series on brands from emerging economies can be found and viewed on YouTube.
He has designed and delivered executive development programs for multinational companies in the telecom, pharmaceutical and consumer-packaged goods industries. As a co-owner of a 5th generation family business, he advises the top management team and supervisory board on strategy and marketing.
Prior to moving to the region of Singapore-Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand, the SMIT nations in 2011, Willem earned his PhD from the RSM Erasmus University in 2006. He joined IMD as a research fellow and began lecturing at the Université de Lausanne. He currently holds teaching positions at various schools in the region, among others: Singapore Management University, an MIT affiliate Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation, Taylor's University, and Hult Shanghai.
Thus far, Willem has published his studies in the Harvard Business Review, Journal of Business Venturing, and the Financial Times among others. His work has also received media attention in publications, such as Times and Newsweek.
Besides traditional print publications, Willem experiments with disseminating his research findings through new social media. His “Which Chinese/South African/Singapore/Indian brands are Best for the World” video clip series on brands from emerging economies can be found and viewed on YouTube.
He has designed and delivered executive development programs for multinational companies in the telecom, pharmaceutical and consumer-packaged goods industries. As a co-owner of a 5th generation family business, he advises the top management team and supervisory board on strategy and marketing.
