Lynn Imai and Andreas Schotter, EMBA ’04, PhD ’09, are globe-trotters with a passion for international business.
Andreas Schotter, EMBA ’04, PhD ’09, is a dual Canadian and German citizen who has lived and worked in Canada, Europe, Asia and the U.S. He speaks German, English, French and Mandarin. An expert in global strategy, Schotter is currently Director of Ivey’s MSc in Management and the CEMS Masters in International Management programs.
Japanese-born Lynn Imai grew up moving from country to country across the U.S., Canada, and Belgium, because of her father’s career in international business. Her research interests focus on cross-cultural organizational behavior, and she teaches one of the MSc’s core courses, “Global Management Practice.”
“Andreas and I get each other,” says Imai. “Culturally there are similarities between Japan and Germany, and we both have a facility for moving across cultures.” Schotter agrees, adding, “We’re very straightforward people, and I know I can trust Lynn no matter what.”
Both are passionate about the future of the MSc program. Schotter says graduates of the program are “special paratroopers, ready to drop into any ambiguous or complex situations and hit the ground running.” Adds Imai, “The program is not just about learning new things. It’s as much about selfawareness—understanding who you are, and unlearning the specific ways you tend to look at the world so that you can adapt better to a new cultural environment.”
Schotter expects the program to grow and evolve over the next three years. In addition to two new streams—Analytics and Entrepreneurship & Innovation—he plans to launch a fourweek pre-Ivey knowledge program for students who don’t have a business undergraduate degree.
“The future is in the hands of these students,” says Schotter. “They have the skills and competencies to become truly transformational leaders wherever they want to go.”
Best business book ever?
Schotter: The Age of Unreason by Charles Handy
Imai: Cultural Intelligence: Individual Interactions Across Cultures by P. Christopher Earley and Soon Ang
Best career advice?
Schotter: There is a difference between purpose and process: have the courage to focus on the purpose and you will create impact that people notice.
Imai: Best career advice Have the guts to define your own success.
Best business movie ever?
Schotter: Outsourced, because it shows so colourfully the many facets of cross-cultural dynamics, and this despite relying heavily on stereotypes.
Imai: Outsourced, because it’s hilarious but more importantly, it shows that international business ultimately needs to be conducted through people who can effectively manage across cultural differences.
Why I love my job?
Schotter: Being allowed to teach, learn, inspire and get inspired by very intelligent people every day, all day, is a privilege, not a job!
Imai: Why I love my job I have a bit of a mischievous streak and I like provoking people. It’s fun to challenge students to think about how and why they tend to see the world through a particular cultural lens.
Favourite getaway spot?
Schotter: The lake in my rowing shell on a calm day.
Imai: Favourite getaway spot Na Pali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii
Photo: Nation Wong
Art Direction: Greg Salmela, Aegis
