Francisco Szekely

Francisco Szekely is Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Sustainability at IMD.

His work contributes to the understanding of the interrelationships between the emergence of new social, economic and environmental trends as well as the development of long-term, sustainable business strategies. His research explores how companies can include sustainability as a key element of their business strategy; the link between sustainability and business performance; high performance leadership; the development of the leadership required by organizations to sustain long-term business performance over time, as well as the development and expectations of generations “Y" and "Next."

Prior to joining IMD, Professor Szekely served on the faculties of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, MIT, the International Academy of the Environment in Geneva, Switzerland and the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin, Germany where he taught sustainable development and responsible leadership. Additionally, he has worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company managing clients in Mexico, the US and Holland and has served as a Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources for the Mexican government. Most recently, Professor Szekely was Professor of Business Sustainability and Director of the Center for Responsible Business and Sustainability at the School of Management of the University of Texas at Dallas.

He is the author of seven books, numerous articles and many case studies and is the recipient of the “2011 International Award on the Hot Topic Case Writing” from the European Case Clearing House (ECCH). His works have been published in the European Management Journal, Environmental Assessment Review (MIT), and other refereed journals.

Professor Szekely holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, an M.Sc in Engineering from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and an M.Sc in Technology & Human Affairs and a Ph.D in Environmental Sciences and Economics from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.