Christoph Lechner

Go to the Alexandria Research Platform

Strategic Management

Alliances, Platforms & Ecosystems

Corporate Strategy

Christoph is a chaired professor of strategic management at the University of St. Gallen, director of its Institute of Management & Strategy (IfB) 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. 

Christoph works internationally as strategy advisor and has educated executives from firms such as ABB, Allianz, Altana, Clariant, Credit Suisse, Danaher, Daimler, Eni, Fresenius, Givaudan, Munich Re, Novartis, Oracle, PWC, Richemont, SAP, Santander, Siemens, Swiss Life, Tata, UBS, Zürich, or VW.

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). 

Research Grants (since 2005)

2019-today   Industry Consortium on Platforms and Ecosystems with Credit Suisse, Klöckner, Novartis, and Zürich Insurance, 320.000 CHF for 2 years

2020            Research Fund (GFF) of University of St. Gallen, about 100.000 CHF, for research on “Corporate Turaround Actions”

2010-2013    Swiss National Fund (SNF), "Managing Corporate Programs", 320.863 CHF

2009-2011    Regula & Fredy Lienhard Foundation, "Responsible Corporate Competitiveness & Responsible Leadership", 300.000 CHF

2010            Research Fund (GFF) of the University of St. Gallen, "Activity Systems and their Renewal", 95.000 CHF

2006-2008    Industry Consortium with 5 major European corporations, "Strategy Process Modes for Growth Initiatives", 160.000 CHF

2008            Basic Research Fund (GFF) of the University of St. Gallen, 2008, "Exploring Corporate Programs", 40.000 CHF

2005-2006    Industry Consortium with 4 major European corporations, "Shaping Strategy Processes", 80.000 CHF

2021            Finalist for the Best Conference Paper Award of the Strategic Management Society for the article: “How to stand out from the Crowd: Detecting Patterns in App Endorsements on the App-Store”, together with Maximilian Dexheimer

2020            Finalist for the “Managerial Practice Award” of the Academy of Management Review, for the article: “Resolving the paradox of interdependency and strategic renewal in activity systems”, together with Daniel Albert & Markus Kreutzer

2010            Best Lecturer Award, MBA Program, University of St. Gallen

2008            Best Lecturer Award, MBA Program, University of St. Gallen

2006            Winner of the Sumantra Ghoshal Research and Practice Award of the Academy of Management (together with Karolin Marx and Steven Floyd)

2006            Distinguished Paper Award of the Business Policy and Strategy Division, Academy of Management (together with Karolin Marx and Steven Floyd)

2005            Winner of the “SMS Best Conference Paper Award” of the Strategic Management Society (together with Steven Floyd)

2004            Finalist for the “SMS Best Conference Paper Award” of the Strategic Management Society (together with Dovev Lavie and Harbir Singh)

2001            Winner of the CapGemini Ernst&Young Award for the ,Best German Business Book’ for the book: “Strategisches Management: Wie Strategische Initiativen zum Wandel führen”, Stuttgart: Schäffer-Pöschel (together with Günter Müller-Stewens)

1999            Winner of the Dr. Peter-Werhahn-Price for Outstanding Achievements in Business Administration and Philosophy of Science, University of St. Gallen

1992/93        Scholarship, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Master in Economics, USA

Christoph Lechner has published ten books as well as numerous journal articles in international recognized Business Journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Research, Long Range Planning, MIT Sloan Management Review, Wall Street Journal, European Business Forum, Harvard Business Manager, Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft, Organisationsentwicklung, and others. Furthermore, he is member of the Editorial Boards of the Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, and Journal of Strategy & Management.