PROFESSOR Dr Stefan Lippert is a business school professor and management consultant who has been based in Tokyo since 2005.

He teaches international corporate strategy and leadership at Temple University, Japan Campus, and other universities in Japan and overseas. He is an active scholar and author in the areas of globalisation and organisational transformation. His current interests include the internationalisation of Japanese firms, especially the ‘Hidden Champions’ – those smaller but highly successful companies which are invisible or inconspicuous. Criteria to be listed as a ‘Hidden Champion’ include being among the top three in the global market, or number one on its continent, measured by market share; revenue of less than US$4 billion and a low level of public awareness.

He also has a particular interest in the response of the Japanese economy to the challenges of demography, deflation and increasing competition from developing countries.

Professor Lippert, in his consulting work, advises Japanese and international companies primarily on matters of strategy, marketing, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. He was the Managing Partner Japan of Simon-Kucher & Partners, a global strategy and marketing consulting firm. Professor Lippert worked with McKinsey& Company before joining Simon-Kucher.