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University of Essex homepage Rekha Rao-Nicholson
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Professor Rekha Rao-Nicholson

Professor
EBS - Management and Marketing
Professor Rekha Rao-Nicholson

  • Email

  • Telephone

    +44 (0) 1206 873450

  • Location

    EBS.3.6, Colchester Campus

  • Academic support hours

    Wednesday 9-10 Thursday 1-3

Biography

Rekha Rao-Nicholson is a Professor of Management at the University of Essex. She has a Bachelors’ degree in Electronics & Telecommunication, a Masters’ degree in Software Engineering and a doctorate degree in Economics and Management. Her PhD thesis investigated the role of business strategy in firm performance. She has also been involved in several projects as a junior researcher, namely, PRIN 2006, Azioni Italia-Spagna, Programma Vigoni Italia-Germania, and DIME – EU project. Whilst, pursuing her post-doctoral research at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Imperial College, she looked at the development of several successful public-private partnerships in India. She has also studied successful cross-border acquisitions by several emerging economy companies; and the creation of value in project-based businesses in India. Prior to joining Essex Business School, she was a Senior Lecturer in International Business at Newcastle University London, a Senior Lecturer – International Management at Bristol Business School and a Lecturer in International Management at the University of Bath. She has had numerous grants, including from funding councils like SPARC (India), BA-Leverhulme, Royal Economic Society, and ESRC. Prior to academia, she was in the industry for several years and has worked in both large MNCs as well as startups, including companies like Metaware Spa (Italy), Finmeccanica/Marconi Mobile (Italy) and Siemens (India). She also worked as a consultant on projects related to business development in emerging markets and IPR management. Her research interests are – Internationalisation strategy, Strategy in emerging economies, Emerging-market MNCs, Leadership and M&As integration, Management and Economics of Innovation in developed and developing countries, including IPR management, Crisis and Strategy. Currently, she is interested in linkages between institutional factors, firm strategy (including sustainability, SDGs) and performance in developed and emerging markets like India, China, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, ASEAN nations, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Latin America, and Africa from the comparative perspective. She welcomes PhD applications in these areas.

Qualifications

  • PhD Scuola Superiore di Sant'Anna,

  • MEngg Scuola Superiore di Sant'Anna,

  • BEngg University of Mumbai,

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Director of Internationalisation and Partnerships, Essex Business School, University of Essex (1/5/2023 - present)

  • Programme Director of MSc Management, Essex Business School, University of Essex (1/1/2020 - 30/4/2023)

Other academic

  • Professor of Management, Essex Business School, University of Essex (1/9/2019 - present)

  • Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University London (1/9/2016 - 31/8/2019)

  • Senior Lecturer, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England (1/9/2014 - 31/8/2016)

  • Lecturer, School of Management, University of Bath (1/9/2009 - 31/8/2014)

  • Post Doctoral Fellow, Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London (10/3/2008 - 31/8/2009)

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Contact


  • +44 (0) 1206 873333
  • University of Essex
  • Wivenhoe Park
  • Colchester CO4 3SQ

 

 

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