Fernando is the Jean C. Tempel Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, and the former Chair of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department (2016–2023). Prior to this, he founded the Strategy and Innovation Department at Boston University and served as its Chair from 2008 to 2013. He has also held faculty positions at the London Business School (UK), MIT Sloan School (USA), Hitotsubashi University (Japan), SKEMA Business School (France), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and ESE Business School (Chile). His widely cited research (10,800+ Google Scholar citations, h-index 29) spans innovation and technology strategy, platform competition, entry timing strategies, robotics and AI-human collaboration, standards and dominant designs, industry evolution, categorical dynamics, entrepreneurship, and the role of services in product firms. His publications have appeared in the most selective academic journals as well as top practitioner-oriented publications. He serves on the Editorial Boards of the Academy of Management Review and Organization Science, and on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Management. He was co-founder of a software firm, an early investor in several technology startups, and a member of the board of directors of several firms. Prof. Suárez holds a PhD from the MIT Sloan School of Management, a Master's in Regional Planning from MIT, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chile.
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Selected publications
In Progress
- Suarez, F., & Uzunca, B. “Too Much of a Good Thing? Calibrating Managerial Disclosure Transparency in Algorithmic Management.” (Revising to resubmit)
- Zeijen, A., Brusoni, S., Tee, R., & Suarez, F. “Platform Ecosystem Life Cycles.” (under review)
- Suarez, F., & Uzunca, B. “Designing Ambidexterity: Configurations of Human–AI Systems for Exploration and Exploitation.” (draft)
- Suarez, F., & Papachristos, G. “First Mover or Fast Second? An Integrated Model of Entry Timing Advantages.” (complete draft)
- Suarez, F., Aydin, S., Hilbolling, S., & Berends, H. “A Product Leader Response to Industry Platformization: The Case of Philips Hue and the Smart Home Market.” (Working paper)
- Suarez, F., Grodal, S., & Zunino, D. “Less is More? Cognitive-Linguistic Insights into the Adoption of Category Labels.” (Working paper)
- Suarez, F., Reitzer, N., & Yu, D. “The Robotics Grand Opportunity: Performing in a Messy World,” (Working paper)
Published
- Putra, F., Khanagha, S., Pandza, K., & Suarez, F. (2026). Navigating uncertainty in a nascent ecosystem: How shifting cognitive frames influence an incumbent firm's platform scope strategies. Strategic Management Journal.
- Aydin, S., Bart, Y., Libaers, D., & Suarez, F. (2025). Smart Timing for Smart Products? Complementor multihoming in nascent platform markets. Journal of Product Innovation Management.
- Sitruk, J., Grodal, S., Dibiaggio, L., & Suarez, F. (2024). Emotional Brightness and Crowdfunding Performance. Research Policy, 54(1).
- Kang, H. Y., & Suarez, F. (2022). Platform Owner Entry into Complementor Spaces under Different Governance Modes. Journal of Management, 49(5).
- Montes, J. S., & Suarez, F. (2020). Building Organizational Resilience. Harvard Business Review, 98(6), 47–52.
- Zunino, D., Grodal, S., & Suarez, F. (2019). Familiarity, Creativity, and the Adoption of Category Labels in Technology Industries. Organization Science, 30(1), 168–190.
- Montes, J. S., & Suarez, F. (2019). An Integrative Perspective of Organizational Responses: Routines, Heuristics and Improvisations in a Mount Everest Expedition. Organization Science, 30(3), 573–599.
- Suarez, F., Grodal, S., & Gotsopoulos, A. (2015). The Co-Evolution of Technologies and Categories during Industry Emergence. Academy of Management Review, 40, 423–445.
- Cusumano, M., Kahl, S., & Suarez, F. (2015). Services, Industry Evolution and the Competitive Strategies of Product Firms. Strategic Management Journal, 36, 559–575.
- Cusumano, M., Kahl, S., & Suarez, F. (2013). Services and the Business Models of Product Firms: An Empirical Analysis of the Software Industry. Management Science, 59(2), 420–435.
- Lanzolla, G., & Suarez, F. (2007). The Role of Environmental Dynamics in Building a First-Mover Advantage Theory. Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 377–392.
- Suarez, F. (2004). Battles for Technological Dominance: An Integrated Framework. Research Policy, 33(2), 271–286.
- Utterback, J., & Suarez, F. (1995). Dominant Designs and the Survival of Firms. Strategic Management Journal, 16(6), 415–430.
- Utterback, J., & Suarez, F. (1993). Innovation, Competition, and Industry Structure. Research Policy, 22, 1–21. (3rd most-cited paper published in Research Policy during 1990–1999)
Awards, grants, and honors
- Northeastern University Impact Engine Award, $188,000, for smart digital technologies research in construction (NEXT Innovation Lab)
- Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation Grant #7001886 (Stine Grodal, co-PI), “Dominant Categories, Industry Life Cycles and Entry Timing Advantages,” $620,000 (2010)
- Principal Investigator, Leverhulme Foundation (UK) grant, £1.2M, to study the impact of Information Technologies on industries and organizations (2003)
- Winner, “Best Symposium” Award, OMT Division, Academy of Management Annual Meeting (2014)
- Dean's Research Fellow, Boston University School of Management (2011–2015)
- John R. Russell Award for Teaching Excellence, EMBA Program, Boston University (2014, 2010, 2008) — elected by student vote
- “Innovation, Competition and Industry Structure” recognized as the 3rd most-cited article published in Research Policy during 1990–1999
Editorial positions & professional leadership
- Academy of Management Review: Editorial Board (2018–present)
- Organization Science: Editorial Board (2023–present)
- Academy of Management: Board of Governors (2025–present)
- Division Chair, Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) Division, Academy of Management (2010–2011); Executive Committee (2007–2012)
PhD mentoring & advising
Served as primary advisor or committee member for nearly ten PhD students, including Diego Zunino (SKEMA Business School), Jax Kirtley (Wharton), Hye Young Kang (Singapore Management University), and Carmelo Cennamo (Copenhagen Business School), among others.
Teaching
Suárez has taught graduate and executive courses at Northeastern, Boston University, MIT Sloan, London Business School, and Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, including Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Competition and Competing in High Technology, Innovation-Driven Markets. His average student evaluation scores are 4.74/5.0 for degree program courses at Northeastern (2015–present), 4.67/5.0 at Boston University (2007–2015), and 4.75/5.0 for executive education programs. He has designed custom executive education programs for corporate clients including Ericsson, Nokia, and BP.
Boards & entrepreneurial activities
- Founder, Rezebra Technologies, an early cloud-computing provider for the health care sector
- Founder and Dean, MBA International Program, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile
- Founder, Strategy and Innovation Department, Boston University
- Founder, NEXT Innovation Lab, D'Amore-McKim School of Business
- Board of Directors: International Academic Advisory Board of ESE Business School, Chile (2004–present); Digevo A.I. (2024–present); Chairman of the Board, Neosecure S.A. (2003–2012)
