Professor Özcan defines the strategic and intellectual direction of the conference.
Prof. Dr. Serden Ozcan
Chairholder of the Otto Beisheim Endowed Chair of Innovation and Corporate Transformation
WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Founder
New Perspectives. Hard Questions. Deep Impact.
Founder
Professor Serden Özcan holds the Otto Beisheim Endowed Chair of Innovation and Corporate Transformation at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. He is the founding director of the annual WHU Campus for Corporate Transformation, a premier event that brings together board members and C-suite executives from Europe’s leading companies to share personal and professional insights on transformative leadership.
He also serves as Program Director of the IESE-WHU High-Performance Board Member Program, and is the co-host of Leading Corporate Transformation: The WHU Podcast, powered by PwC, where distinguished European business leaders share their transformational journeys.
A recognized expert in corporate transformation, private equity, and corporate entrepreneurship, Professor Özcan has received multiple international research awards. His work has appeared in leading academic journals and applied publications such as the MIT Sloan Management Review.
At WHU, he teaches in the Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA programs, in addition to several open and customized executive education programs. As Academic Director, he has co-designed and delivered senior leadership programs for global organizations including BASF, Latham & Watkins, Stellantis, Metro Group, Merck Group, EnerjiSA Üretim, and Germany’s Ministry of Defense.
A committed advocate of sustainability and inclusive innovation, Professor Özcan has also led and participated in social entrepreneurship initiatives across India, Estonia, Ethiopia, and Zambia.
Previously, he taught at Copenhagen Business School and National University of Singapore Business School, and held visiting scholar positions at Stanford University, University of Chicago, and the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. He earned his PhD from Copenhagen Business School (2001–2006).
Regularly featured in prominent media outlets such as Bloomberg and Fortune Magazine, as well as top-tier German publications including FAZ, Manager Magazin, Finance Magazin, Deutsche Welle, Die Zeit, and Handelsblatt, Professor Özcan is a highly sought-after voice on leadership and transformation.
He is frequently invited to speak at corporate leadership events and serves as an advisor to the boards of several of Europe’s largest companies. He also coaches aspiring and newly appointed board members to help them transition effectively into their roles.