Sustainable Business and the Power of Thought Leadership | Christopher Marquis | 662

What happens when world-class research escapes the ivory tower and takes root in the boardroom

In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Peter Winick sits down with Christopher Marquis — Professor of Chinese Management at the University of Cambridge and author of "Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profits and Socializes Costs" — to explore the art of turning academic insight into practical, high-impact business thinking.

Chris is on a mission to bridge the gap between scholarship and the real world. He believes that ideas shouldn't be trapped in academic journals read by only a handful of peers. Instead, they should spark change in boardrooms, inspire sustainable business practices, and help leaders tackle global challenges like climate change. His work blends rigorous research with compelling storytelling, translating complex theories into actionable strategies that resonate with executives, policymakers, and entrepreneurs alike.

From op-eds in The Washington Post to features in Harvard Business Review, Chris knows how to make ideas travel. He shares how brevity, boldness, and a clear thesis can elevate a message — and why writing 800 words for a newspaper can sometimes have more impact than publishing in the most prestigious academic journal. For Chris, thought leadership is about reach and relevance, not just citations and tenure points.

The conversation dives into the discipline of choosing which ideas deserve a book, the craft of finding evergreen principles that survive political and economic cycles, and the skill of meeting business leaders where they are — without losing academic rigor. Chris also offers practical advice for academics ready to step beyond their university walls, connect with executive audiences, and position their work at the intersection of insight and impact.

If you want to understand how to turn deep expertise into broad influence — without watering it down — this episode will show you how.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Academic credibility needs business reach — Groundbreaking research has little impact if it stays locked in academic journals. Translating ideas into accessible formats like op-eds, HBR articles, and books makes them actionable for business leaders.

• Evergreen principles drive lasting influence — Successful thought leadership balances timeless core ideas (like sustainability imperatives) with timely examples that connect to current cultural, political, or economic contexts.

• Storytelling bridges the gap — Data and theory matter, but real-world stories, case studies, and clear narratives are what resonate with executive audiences and create lasting engagement.

If you enjoyed Christopher's episode, don't miss our conversation with Mark Smith, who built SHRM's thought leadership function from the ground up. Both share a passion for taking complex research and turning it into clear, actionable insights that reach the right audiences. Chris brings the global lens of sustainability; Mark offers the inside view of embedding thought leadership within an organization. Together, these episodes show you how to move ideas from theory to real-world influence.

Listen here: Discovering Thought Leadership – Mark Smith