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Atul Nerkar is Jeffrey Allred Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and Visiting Faculty in Executive Education at Mahindra University. He is a former Associate Dean of UNC’s Executive MBA programs, with research and teaching focused on strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Atul Nerkar
Visiting Faculty, Centre for Executive Education
Atul Nerkar is Jeffrey Allred Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Visiting Faculty in Executive Education at Mahindra University. His work centers on how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship shape business and corporate strategy, with a particular emphasis on R&D-intensive industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and optical media. Before joining UNC, he served on the faculty of Columbia Business School and as a visiting professor at the Wharton School, and earlier worked with the Unilever Group of Companies in India.
- PhD in Strategic Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
- MA in Managerial Science and Applied Economics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
- Bachelor’s degree in Production Engineering, University of Bombay (now University of Mumbai), India.
- MBA (International Business), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, India.
Prof. Nerkar has contributed to executive and degree programs globally, designing and delivering courses and custom programs on strategy formulation, strategic execution, innovation and entrepreneurship for a wide range of organizations. He brings to the classroom a blend of academic rigor and industry experience drawn from his work with Unilever and his collaborations with firms in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and technology-intensive sectors. His leadership as associate dean helped strengthen UNC’s Evening and Weekend Executive MBA programs serving working professionals.
- Jeffrey Allred Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
- Visiting Faculty, Executive Education, Mahindra University.
- Former Associate Dean, Executive MBA Evening and Weekend Programs, UNC Kenan-Flagler.
- Former faculty member, Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
- Former visiting professor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Prof. Nerkar’s research examines how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship influence firm strategy and performance. He studies research productivity in organizations and the evolution of technological capabilities, focusing on industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and optical disc manufacturing. His current work analyzes the drivers of R&D success by investigating firms’ patent portfolios and the evolutionary processes behind their development over time.
