Dr Thorsten Roser

Thor is an internationally renowned Innovation Management Expert and Organisational Psychologist. He is an Assistant Professor and Academic Director at the Institute for Design Innovation at Loughborough University London.

In addition to his experience as an academic and researcher, he brings over 20 years of industry experience during which he has worked with more than 100 organisations on their design and innovation challenges. 

Thor studied at Heidelberg University, the London School of Economics and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. After graduating from Heidelberg University in Business Administration and Organisational Psychology, he earned a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) where he researched the factors involved in failure and success of collaborative innovation ventures and the dynamics of organisational partnerships.

Thor has been involved in teaching and applied science and research at the Technical University Berlin (TUB), the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems (IPK), the Surrey School of Management (SOM), the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) and Loughborough University London.

Beyond the design of innovative services and products, Thor has a longstanding research interest in complex and co-evolving systems, as well as issues relating to the management of collaborations and sustainability. Thor has over two decades of industry experience and he co-ordinates our largest industry-involvement programme ‘The Collaborative Project’ where students and industry partners engage in the process of researching and developing new and more sustainable solutions for organisations and their stakeholders.

Thor is currently involved in a number of research projects focussing on the research and design of innovative service ecosystems. His work puts emphasis on understanding the design principles, evolution and dynamics of service-ecosystems that help foster greater economic, social and ecological sustainability. His work includes projects focussing on Precision Medicine and Pharmacogenomics, Fintech and Venture Management, Ocean Conservation and Tourism of Tomorrow.

Thor has a keen interest in Futuristic Design and Sustainable Architecture, and he has led a Collaborative Project at IDI involving the award-winning British Architectural Design firm Foster and Partners.

His interest in efficient and sustainable design, which merges high-tech with sustainability emanated from his innovation work in the Automotive, Marine and Yachting Industry. The maritime environment is arguably one of the most challenging environments for designers and engineers to work with. The world’s oceans are the most vital ecosystem to enable life on our planet. Yet, our oceans are also amongst the least researched and most neglected ecosystems impacted by human technology and behaviour.

Aside from spending time on or near the water (and nature in general), Thor enjoys his sports, travel and music.