Bill Fischer

Leading expert on teams, devoted to addressing issues of innovation, talent development, and expression in a variety of organizations. Inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in 2019.

HALL OF FAME

Inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in 2019.

SHORTLISTED

Shortlisted for the Thinkers50 2013 Book Award, for Reinventing Giants.

FAST FACT

Member of the founding faculty of the National Center for Industrial Science and Technology Management Development, Dalian, China, 1980.

Ideas

Fischer has been studying – and active in – innovation throughout his career, from practicing engineer to multi-startup participant. His research looks at the profoundly social nature of innovative activity, and explores the pursuit of talent fulfilment in complex modern organizations. In particular, his extensive, pionering research into the organizational innovation of Chinese company Haier, shows how new ideas in China are not only radically changing the Chinese economy, but have the power to change corporate innovation as well.

Bio

An engineer by training, Fischer is professor of innovation managment at IMD. He co-founded and co-directs the IMD program Driving Strategic Innovation, in cooperation with the Sloan School of Management. He has been on the full-time faculties of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Clarkson University, and was the Executive President and Dean of the China Europe International Business School, in Shanghai.

Content

Reinventing Giants: How Chinese Global Competitor Haier has Changed the Way Big Companies Transform (with Umberto Lago and Fang Liu, Wiley & Sons, 2013); The Idea Hunter: How to find the Best Ideas and Make them Happen (with Andy Boynton, Wiley & Sons, 2011); Virtuoso Teams: Lessons from Teams that Changed their Worlds (with Andy Boynton, Financial Times/Prentice Hall, 2005). 

NATIONALITY: American

Media picks

Verdict

“A humane and people-focused global idea hunter.”

Stuart Crainer & Des Dearlove, Thinkers50

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest and greatest ideas in business, management, and thought leadership.

*mandatory field

Thinkers50 will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide news, updates, and marketing. Please confirm that you agree to have us contact you by clicking below:


You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at . We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

Privacy Policy Update

Thinkers50 Limited has updated its Privacy Policy on 28 March 2024 with several amendments and additions to the previous version, to fully incorporate to the text information required by current applicable date protection regulation. Processing of the personal data of Thinkers50’s customers, potential customers and other stakeholders has not been changed essentially, but the texts have been clarified and amended to give more detailed information of the processing activities.

Thinkers50 Awards Gala 2023

Join us in celebration of the best in business and management thinking.