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Laurence Capron

Professor of Strategy

Biography

Laurence Capron is a Professor of Strategy at INSEAD where she holds the Paul Desmarais Chair in Partnership and Active Ownership. Laurence Capron directs the M&As and Corporate Strategy programme.

She is a leading expert on M&As, Alliances, and Business Portfolio Growth. She recently published a book Build, Borrow, or Buy: Solving the Growth Dilemma (Harvard Business Review Press), co-authored with Professor W. Mitchell, which examines how companies should select and balance their different modes of growth: organic growth (build), licensing and alliances (borrow), and M&As (buy). Her book is the recipient of the 2013 Best International Book Awards, granted by the USA Book News. So far, it has been translated into French, Portuguese and Chinese languages.

Professor Capron received multiple awards for her teaching and research activities, including INSEAD MBA Best Teacher Award, Academy of Management Best Paper Award, McKinsey/Strategic Management Society Best Paper Award, HEC Paris Best Doctoral Dissertation Award and Syntec Federation Award for Best Research in Management. Her research has been profiled in a wide range of media including Financial Times, The Globe & Mail, Le Monde, Les Echos, The Economist, The Independent, Sunday Times, Business+strategy, Business Insider, Forbes, France 24, CFO Magazine, Irish Times, The National, The Austrailian, Engineering & Technology, Business Traveller, Economia, The Hindu, Business Standard, The Jakarta Post, Chief Executive, Knowledge@Wharton, South China Morning Post…

Professor Capron joined INSEAD in 1997 after serving on faculty and earning her PhD in Corporate Strategy from HEC Paris. She was a visiting professor at MIT Sloan (2011-12), Wharton (2005-06), Kellogg School of Management (2004-05). She directed the INSEAD-Wharton Alliance from 2007 to 2010. She is on the editorial board of Strategic Management Journal and Strategy & Leadership as well as Senior Editor of Strategy Science.

Latest posts

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Strategy

The Relationships That Create Successful Acquisitions

Laurence Capron

A study of start-up acquisitions shows important patterns on both sides lead to a successful integration.

Strategy

Blending Public and Private Value Creation at Natura

Aline Gatignon & Laurence Capron

One major, home-grown firm in Brazil offers a successful, impactful business model to overcome skill and talent scarcity.

Economics & Finance

The Cost of Geopolitics to M&As

Laurence Capron & Olivier Bertrand

When geopolitical relations between nations are strained, states are more inclined to intervene to block mergers and acquisitions on national security grounds. But this makes mergers more difficult and more expensive, putting them at odds with the national interest.

Strategy

Volkswagen: Still Too Much Power with Majority Shareholders?

Regulations protecting minority shareholders are not enough. States must enforce them.

Strategy

AB InBev’s Acquisition Formula

Laurence Capron

The beer giant applies three core principles to swallowing its competitors.
3 comments

Economics & Finance

Protecting Minority Shareholders Pays

Where minority shareholders are protected, more investment takes place.
1 comment