Paul Kinsinger

Paul C. Kinsinger is a clinical professor of business intelligence at Thunderbird School of Global Management and an executive director for the school’s executive education group. As an executive educator, Paul helps executives and organizations understand the challenges and opportunities posed by megatrends and the benefits of incisive market and competitive analysis. With deep and broad experience and expertise over two careers, he specializes in how to think strategically and drive the agile decisionmaking that will prevail in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) business world. His current areas of endeavor include strategic approaches for success in the post-recession global economy, with a focus on winning in emerging markets, mastering the return of a “Red Ocean” competitive environment in low-growth developed markets, and competing against—or collaborating with—the newly emerging global competitors from developing markets. Continuing advanced studies in international affairs and a having a first career that culminated in senior level management in the CIA, Paul’s teaching and consulting are grounded in a relentless focus on an understanding of complex global issues and today’s business imperatives. This gives him the ability to make “outside-in” thinking both tangible and actionable to business executives and organizational leaders seeking to successfully navigate the increasingly dynamic global business environment. From his experience with kings, presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, senators and congressional representatives, generals and admirals, as well as business leaders, Paul knows how to challenge conventional wisdom, provoke new thinking, provide discreet counsel, and “to speak truth to power,” as captured by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates who praised Paul’s frankness and candor. Paul has delivered to corporate clients at various executive levels and across many industries including hi-tech, defense, energy, construction, shipping, agriculture, and the public sector. With extensive Middle East expertise, he has led executive education programs for the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior and the Islamic Development Bank, and currently is serving as co-academic director for a program with SABIC in Saudi Arabia. With an “in-the-trenches” mindset, Paul teaches in a highly applied, hands-on manner designed to allow students and executives to experience, on their own or in teams, the use of tools and methods that emanate from the best of thought leadership—be it from business, academia, consultancies or government. Having led students and executives through nearly 200 project-oriented learning engagements, he has deep experience in facilitating learning and in coaching teams to develop outcomes. An avid and broad reader himself, Paul also is skilled at knowing how to help busy executives leverage disparate data points and perspectives in the pursuit of sounder strategic thinking and decision-making. Paul earned his master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.