Roland Kupers

Roland Kupers is Research Director at THNK in Amsterdam: He is an Associate Professor at Sciences Po in Paris and a Senior Lecturer in complexity at the University of Nijenrode in the Netherlands. He is a consultant for organisations such as Eskom and Royal Dutch Shell, as well as the Chairman of the board of LEAD International.

Lastly he has held a variety of senior management positions at Royal Dutch Shell, including Vice President for Sustainable Development and Vice President Global LNG. He was closely involved with strategy and scenario planning, both for Shell’s own Long Term Energy scenarios, as well as in projects with other partners such as IUCN. He has been a regular public speaker and panel member at a broad range of conferences and forums.

A theoretical physicist by university training, Roland spent the first 11 years of his career with AT&T in the Netherlands and in Italy, holding different business management positions. His last assignment there was as Regional Managing Director for Northern Europe. In 1999, after AT&T, Roland spent a sabbatical year looking at new developments in the field of complexity, understanding the dynamics of organisations, as well as publishing and lecturing.

His academic interests include complex systems, sustainability, strategy, and organisational development.

Sciences Po faculty and Nijenrode faculty

Jaeger C.C., Paroussos L, Mangalagiu, D., Kupers, R, Mandel, A., Tabara J.D., (2011), A New Growth Path for Europe: Generating Prosperity and Jobs in the Low-Carbon Economy Synthesis Report

Kupers, R. and Mangalagiu, D. (2010), Climate change policy – Positive or negative economic impact? Why?, European Climate Forum Brief Paper, (1/2010).

Flowers, B. S., Kupers, R., Mangalagiu, D., Ramirez, R., Ravetz, R., Selsky, J., Wasden, C., and  Wilkinson, A. (2010). The Oxford Scenarios: Beyond the Financial Crisis.

Mangalagiu, D., Kupers, R. and Wilkinson, A. (2010), Financial crisis and strategic learning: Using scenarios as framing devices in processes of anticipatory knowledge, European Group for Organization Studies Conference, Lisbon, June 27 – July 2.