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SKEMA welcomes ten new PhD students shaping the future of management research
The PhD in Business Administration at SKEMA Business School has welcomed ten new doctoral students this September. These students are joining the KTO research center, the SKEMA Center for Artificial Intelligence, and the SKEMA Center for Sustainability Studies. These new junior colleagues bring diverse academic backgrounds and research projects that aim to address some of today’s most pressing challenges, from AI in finance and healthcare to ESG practices, sustainable food systems, and the future of diversity and inclusion.
The PhD in Business Administration is designed to train the next generation of international scholars by combining rigorous training with a strong international research experience. All courses and seminars are conducted in English and graduates receive a PhD degree from SKEMA and a French state doctoral degree from Université Côte d’Azur.
“The PhD programme is a cornerstone of SKEMA’s research strategy. We are committed not only to produce knowledge with research activities but also to develop the faculty of tomorrow. Recent alumni of the PhD programme are now professors at McGill University, University of Amsterdam, Grenoble Ecole de Management, or postdocs at University College London. Their success is an important dimension of SKEMA’s scientific impact”, explains Diego Zunino, Associate Dean of Research.
A diverse and global cohort
This year’s PhD students will explore a wide range of topics that reflect the complexity of today’s business environment.
Among them:
• Francesca Roat (KTO, Sophia Antipolis), who examines consumer acceptance of novel foods and food technologies.
• Mariko Ise (KTO, Sophia Antipolis), whose research explores how ESG practices influence corporate behaviour.
• Kwami Nouchet (KTO, Sophia Antipolis), focusing on spatial inequalities in access to finance.
• Hassaan Awan (SCAI, Paris), investigating how artificial intelligence can support decision-making in healthcare.
• Fazil Nazar (SCAI, Paris), applying machine learning to financial markets.
• Soumyabuddha Debnath (SCAI, Paris), studying supply chain resilience in a changing global context.
• Yuxiao Liu (KTO, Paris), working on behavioural strategy and organisational distinctiveness.
• Sarah Adams (SCSS, Sophia Antipolis), exploring issues around diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Paola Della Zassa (KTO, Sophia Antipolis), specialising in organisational behaviour and the dynamics of people at work.
• Lara Ghanem (SCSS, Paris), focusing on political risk and its implications for international business.
In addition to the new PhD candidates, the group photo also features visiting students who contribute to the school’s vibrant research environment: Michele Badolato, PhD student in Economics and Quantitative Methods at the University of Genoa, hosted by SKEMA Professor Isabella Soscia at Sophia Antipolis, and Joona Mäntyvaara from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, whose research explores the use of artificial intelligence to enhance customer experiences and sales operations.
Their diversity reflects SKEMA’s ambition to foster a truly global research community, able to contribute both to academic debates and to the understanding of complex economic and social transformations.
Full support for doctoral candidates
Admission to the programme is highly selective. Candidates are expected to demonstrate strong research potential and hold a Master’s degree (or be close to completion). Admitted students benefit from scholarships and research assistant positions, which cover living expenses, waive tuition fees, and fund participation in conferences or visiting stays at other research institutions. SKEMA PhD students are regularly nominated or recipient of accolades at academic conferences. SKEMA’s faculty are recognised internationally who publish regularly in leading academic journals in their field (FT50 and UTD24) and hold leadership position in academic communities such as the European Finance Association and the Strategic Management Society. In the past two years, SKEMA has organized three major conferences in sustainability (GRONEN), innovation (DRUID), and finance (EFA).
Preparing the next generation of scholars
The programme is designed to prepare doctoral students for careers in leading business schools worldwide. With rigorous training, close supervision, and international exposure, the PhD in Business Administration at SKEMA equips its students with the skills to contribute to knowledge creation and to shape the future of management research.
