I have been the Holder of the Ruben Rausing Chair in Innovation Research at CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden, since February 2003 and have previously held a Chair at the University of Linköping. My publications include books and articles on innovation processes, innovation systems and innovation policy. Of these, the edited volumes “Systems of Innovation: Technologies, Institutions and Organizations” (1997), “Small Country Innovation Systems: Globalization, Change and Policy in Asia and Europe” (2008; in 2012 also in Chinese), and my latest “Public Procurement for Innovation” (2015) constitute contributions to the development of the so-called Systems of Innovation (SI) Approach. So does the chapter “Systems of Innovation: Perspectives and Challenges” (2005), in the Oxford Handbook of Innovation.

I have made many contributions to the field of innovation policy and governance of innovation systems, the latest being articles in Science and Public Policy (2015) and R & D Management (2015). That I am among the 50 (or so) most cited innovation researchers (out of 6 – 7 000) in the world is testimony to the impact of my research. My most cited book is on public procurement for innovation. I was given the award for best paper for “Competence Building: A Systemic Approach to Innovation Policy” at the Atlanta Conference of Science & Innovation Policy, Georgia, USA, 26-28 September 2013.

I have had comprehensive international experience acquired from longer stays at various universities, a large number of appearances as keynote speaker and sejours as a consultant in many countries. A considerable number of the conferences have involved public policy-makers, academics and representatives of firms. I have been engaged in comprehensive evaluations of “technology bridging” organizations (in Linköping, Sweden, 1999) and systems, including the Finnish National Innovation System for the Finnish Government in 2009; as well as consultancy tasks on almost all the continents, collaborating with numerous international organizations such as OECD, UNIDO, EU, UNCTAD, ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, Swedish organizations such as the Ministry of Industries, NUTEK, and VINNOVA and firms such as Astra-Zeneca, SAAB Aerospace, and Volvo Trucks.

I was, during 2011-2012, a Member of The Research Policy Advisory Committee to the Swedish Government (Forskningsberedningen), chaired by Jan Björklund, Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister. I have also recently been working on three different evaluation projects with Sweco Eurofutures, a large private consultancy firm in Stockholm.

Regarding my experience in research management, I was one of the founders of CIRCLE (Centre for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy) at Lund University in 2004 – www.circle.lu.se. During my seven years (2004 – 2011) as Director, the research staff increased from zero to 40 (representing 12 nationalities and 15 disciplines). By 2011, CIRCLE had established itself as one of the largest innovation research centres in Europe, and a leading international centre for research and advice on R&D, innovation, knowledge creation, entrepreneurship and economic dynamics.

At present, I am working mainly as a researcher and as an advisor to governments, public organizations and firms on issues related to innovation policy and strategy in a wide sense. One example is the Rausing Project on Innovation Processes and Innovation Policies, which addresses theoretical, empirical and policy-oriented aspects of innovation processes in innovation systems. It analyses the determinants (‘ten activities’, including entrepreneurship and demand-side instruments such as innovation procurement) and consequences (growth, employment, environmental and social effects) of innovations, as well as their measurement (innovation indicators). Focus is on the foundations of innovation policies, i.e. theory, rationales, objectives, policy instruments and practices. I am also, from 2015, a member of the Swedish National Innovation Council (NIC, Nationella innovationsrådet) which is chaired by the Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven. The NIC consists of ten external members and five government ministers.