My name is Jan Schmitt and I am an Assistant Professor in International Business and Strategy at Amsterdam Business School (UvA) since September 2021. I obtained my PhD degree from WU Vienna and previously, I was a visiting scholar at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business (Department of Strategy).

I study the changing role of headquarters (HQs) in multinational corporations using unique quantitative longitudinal datasets, rich qualitative longitudinal case studies, and novel survey data. In my dissertation, I focused on the emerging phenomenon of cross-border HQ relocations. I am passionate about enhancing our understanding of HQ relocations by approaching the phenomenon from different theoretical lenses (such as institutional, behavioral, and upper echelons theory). In the four papers of my dissertation, I holistically investigated the antecedents, the process, as well as the consequences of those organizational moves. This approach allowed me to contribute to research at the intersection of international business, global strategy, organizational design, and economic geography. Additionally, I am interested in how the ongoing digital transformation affects HQ roles and location choices.

Prior to my academic career, I graduated from CEMS at WU Vienna and University of Sydney. I also gained considerable industry (with BASF) and strategy consulting experience (with A.T. Kearney and Horváth & Partners) in Europe and South America.

I look forward to reading from you at: j.schmitt@uva.nl.