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Prof. Dr. Hannes Thees

Hannes Thees
Prof. Dr. Hannes Thees
Substitute Chair of Tourism/ Center for Entrepreneurship
Phone +49 8421 93 - 21026
E-mail hannes.thees@ku.de
Building Pater-Philipp-Jeningen-Platz 2
Postal Address
Chair of Tourism/ Center for Entrepreneurship
Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
PPJ | Pater-Philipp-Jeningen-Platz 2 | 85072 Eichstätt
Office hours
by arrangement

About

Hannes Thees is an economic researcher with a broad range of interests, which he combines through an interdisciplinary approach in his analysis, projects, and teaching. His primary research focuses on interdisciplinary entrepreneurship, policy and sustainability transitions, and multi-level governance.

He holds a PhD in Economics from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany, where he worked as a Research Associate at the Chair of Tourism and the Center for Entrepreneurship. Prior to that, he studied Tourism Economics, Geography, and Tourism and Regional Planning. Most recently, Hannes Thees served as an Economist/Policy Analyst at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities at the OECD in Paris. He is also active as a consultant and researcher in regional development, contributing to various projects with the OECD, the European Commission, and other research institutions.

In teaching, Hannes Thees covers a range of topics including entrepreneurship, management, innovation, and tourism, as well as diverse research methods. At the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, he supports the Chair of Business Ethics and Corporate Governance as well as the Chair of Tourism/ Centre for Entrepreneurship in teaching and continues his postdoctoral research on the scaling and diffusion of sustainable entrepreneurship within networks.

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Career

  • Since 03/2026 Acting head at Catholic University Eichstätt- Ingolstadt, Chair of Tourism / Centre for Entrepreneurship
  • 09/2025 - 02/2026 Postdoctoral researcher at Catholic University Eichstätt- Ingolstadt, Chair of Tourism / Centre for Entrepreneurship
  • Since 01/2025 Postdoctoral researcher at Catholic University Eichstätt- Ingolstadt, Professorship for Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
  • Since 01/2025 Consultant to the OECD, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities
  • 12/2023 – 12/2024 Economist/Policy Analyst at OECD Paris, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities
  • 01/2022-11/2023 Senior Analyst “Kompetenzzentrum Tourismus des Bundes” & Senior Consultant Project M/ Serviceplan Group
  • 04/2017-03/2023 Doctoral studies on “Securing Local Economic Development in Globalization: Multiple Perspectives on the New Silk Road”
  • 04/2017-09/2021 Research Associate at Catholic University of Eichstätt Ingolstadt, Chair of Tourism and Center for Entrepreneurship
  • 10/2014-09/2016 Double Master Degree in “Tourism and Regional Planning” (M.Sc.), Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, and in “Geography” (M.Sc), University of Oulu (Finland)
  • 09/2010-03/2014 Bachelor Studies (B.A.) in “Tourism Economics” at IUBH Erfurt (now IU International University), Dual Curriculum with work experience in Destination Management
  • Additional professional experience in consultancy, teaching positions, tour operation and destination management.

Research focus

  • Sustainable Entrepreneurship, including scaling and diffusion in networks
  • Interdisciplinary methods
  • Policy and sustainability transition, including climate action and urban transformation
  • Multi-level governance and international relations, including development cooperation and policymaking
  • Digitalisation of Micro and Small Enterprises, including AI in Tourism

Academic activities and membership

  • Member Development Science Association
  • Member FGF - Research Network Entrepreneurship, Innovation und SME
  • Review Editor Frontiers, Tourism, Climate and Global Environmental Consequences | Political Science
  • Reviewer (including) Journal of Destination Management and Marketing, Tourism Planning and Development, European Journal of Innovation Management, Cogent Business & Management, European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy, World Leisure, International Journal of Culture Tourism and Hospitality Research

Current projects/ publications in progress

  • Incubators and accelerators to support travel and tourism in the European Union (Supported by the OECD and the European Commission)
  • Start-ups and Pioneers in tourism: Pathways from idea creation to the scaling of ecological business models. (Interview series)
  • International transition policies for enabling net zero entrepreneurship (policy mapping)
  • Reflexivity in organisational decision-making in the light of the sustainability transformation – an interdisciplinary exploration (series of workshops)
  • The transformative power of entrepreneurship in networks: Understanding mechanisms and barriers for spreading sustainable entrepreneurial practices (systematic literature review)

Publications

Artikel

Buch

Aufsatz in einem Buch

Hochschulschrift

Projektbericht, Forschungsbericht, Gutachten

Preprint, Working paper, Diskussionspapier

Veranstaltungsbeitrag (unveröffentlicht)

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