Murat Tarakci

Murat Tarakci is Professor of Innovation Strategy at IMD. His research focuses on the social and psychological foundations of innovation and strategy, examining how organizations adapt to and shape their environments.

Tarakci’s work highlights that winning strategies stem from individuals and teams who think, feel, and care. Hence, understanding why strategies thrive or fail must consider individuals’ cognition, emotion, and motivation. His work also aims to create a positive impact by helping organizations better address societal challenges through a deeper understanding of their behavioral dynamics and mechanisms.

“An organization’s ability to innovate for the greater good requires a collaborative effort, which requires cultivating and leveraging innovation ecosystems,” he said. “Therefore, I propose a behavioral, multilevel approach to shed light on factors underpinning ecosystem development to address grand challenges.”

Tarakci’s research has been published in leading academic journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, MIS Quarterly, Organization Science, and Strategic Management Journal and has featured in Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to coaching executives, through his advisory work he has helped organizations with their innovation and strategy-related challenges collaborating with leading global companies.

Prior to joining IMD in 2025, Tarakci was Professor and Chair of Innovation Strategy at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands, where he taught in Innovation Leadership and Innovation Ecosystems, and delivered various customized programs to leading global organizations. Additionally, as Director of the Erasmus Center for Innovation, he focused on forging strong partnerships to drive forward the center’s mission of cultivating an ecosystem of innovation leaders.

Tarakci began his academic career as Assistant Professor of Innovation Management at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, where he was subsequently appointed Associate Professor of Innovation Management and served as Academic Director of the MSc in Innovation Management.