Pinar Ozcan is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Saïd Business School, Oxford University. She is also the academic director of the Oxford Entrepreneurship Centre and the Oxford Future of Finance and Technology (Fintech) Initiative.
A globally recognised expert in fintech, strategy, AI governance, and digital transformation, Pinar advises governments, regulators, and boards on innovation strategy in fast-moving, highly regulated sectors. Her current work focuses on AI-enabled business models, platform ecosystems, financial inclusion, and the evolving role of Big Tech in finance and healthcare.
She brings 20+ years of strategic insight working with organisations ranging from Silicon Valley startups to European regulators and global financial institutions. She has served as advisor to bodies including the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), European Commission, OECD, and the Bank of England on fintech, data, and AI regulation.
Pinar holds a PhD in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, where she also earned her Master’s and dual Bachelor’s degrees. Her academic work has received multiple international awards and is widely cited in management, technology, and policy circles.
Since completing her PhD, Pinar had the honor to be selected to the Top 40 Business School Professors under 40 by Poets and Quants. She was also selected to the global Thinkers 50 list for emerging thinkers with the potential to make lasting contributions to management theory and practice in 2018.
In 2021, Pinar was chosen to the Global Women in Fintech Powerlist by Innovate Finance. In 2023, Pinar was selected to the Advisory Committee of the OECD Digital for SMEs Global Initiative (D4SME), which aims to help SMEs seize the benefits of digitalization. In 2024, she was selected as an Academic Advisor to the Bank of England Digital Pound Initiative, and in 2025, she started her role as member of the World Economic Forum Global Council on Financial Education.
In addition to her academic work, Pinar brings strong industry experience as a former management consultant at Siemens in Germany and through her advisory roles with startups, scaleups, and investment firms in Europe and the US.
Pinar is multilingual (English, Turkish, Spanish, German, Dutch) and selectively engages in non-executive and advisory board roles where she can contribute expertise in:
– Fintech and digital transformation strategy
– AI governance, regulation, and ethics
– Platform business models and innovation ecosystems
– Inclusive finance and ESG-driven technology innovation
– Scaling tech ventures across regulatory boundaries
For a CV, please click here.
Teaching and Industry Experience
TEACHING
Topics: Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Technology Management, Digital Disruption, Platforms, Fintech, Big Tech, Digital Transformation.
Levels: MBA, MSc, Executive MBA, PhD and Open and In-Company Executive Programs.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
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Consulting in technology start-ups and large firms in Silicon Valley and Europe (2003-present). Areas: electronic payments, wireless technologies, peer-to-peer technologies, open banking and fintech.
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Director, Stanford University Entrepreneurship Corner Initiative (2002-2005)
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Director, AEA / Stanford Executive Institute (2002-2005)
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Management Consultant, Siemens, Munich, Germany (1999-2000)
Grants and Awards
- Stanford Lieberman Fellowship (2004): Award for excellence in research and teaching for PhD’s
- Best Dissertation Finalist (2006): Academy of Management, Business Policy and Strategy Division
- AMJ Best Paper Finalist (2009): For Ozcan and Eisenhardt (2009)
- IDEA Entrepreneurship Thought Leader Award (2009): IDEA Awards for Entrepreneurship Research
- EFMD Best Teaching Case Award (2009): “Fiat-Tata Case” by Ariño, Hohl, Mitchell, and Ozcan (2009)
- Representative at Large, Entrepreneurship IG (2010-12): Strategic Management Society
- Representative at Large, Knowledge and Innovation IG (2013-15), Strategic Management Society
- Warwick University Excellence in Teaching Award (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
- Research Grant by Spanish Ministry of Education (Received 2006-2012). Research team: Pascual Berrone, Bruno Cassiman, Fabrizio Ferraro, Pinar Ozcan (IESE)
- British Academy Newton Fund Mobility Grant (received July 2015) for “Factors Affecting the Building of an Open Innovation Ecosystem in Turkey”. W/ Mahmut Ozdemir, Koc University, Turkey.
- Strategic Management Society Rome Best Paper Award (2016) for “The Dark Side of Flexibility: How Product Module Boundaries affect the Evolution of Collaborative Ventures” (Tee and Ozcan)
- Swift Institute Award (2016) for “Open APIs and the Transformation of UK Banking” (Zachariadis and Ozcan)
- Selected to the Poets and Quants 2017 List of Top 40 Business Professors under 40
- Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research, Warwick Business School, 2017
- Strategic Management Society – Research in Organizations Award, 2018
- Global Thinkers 50 Radar, 2018
- Associate Editor, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal
- British Academy 2019 Mid-Career Fellow : Full teaching and administrative buy-out given to 30 academics across fields for the advance of promising research
- Global Women in Fintech Powerlist by Innovate Finance, 2021
- OECD Digital 4 SME (D4SME) Global Initiative, Advisory Board Member, 2022-Present
- Bank of England Digital Pound Academic Advisory Board Member, 2023-Present