Zhe Zhang

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Zhe Zhang's research initiated, established, and developed the scholarly domain of "The Business of Nicknames." An Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Ivey Business School, he holds dual doctoral degrees – a PhD in Marketing from C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Vermont.

The foundational impact of Zhe's work was profiled in a dedicated article by The Economist ("The Business of Nicknames," December 19, 2024), which examines his research program in depth and draws exclusively on his findings to frame nicknaming as a business phenomenon in branding and organizational contexts. His research has been published in premier academic journals, including the Journal of Marketing, Journal of International Marketing, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Journal of Advertising Research, as well as leading practitioner outlets such as Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review.

Zhe's scholarship has established the foundational framework for understanding nicknaming in business – encompassing brand and product nicknames, nickname branding, and nicknaming in organizational management. Beyond The Economist, his research program has been the subject of multiple featured articles in leading business media, including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, Newsweek, World Advertising Research Centre (WARC), Fast Company, The Marketing Architects, Ivey Impact, Western News, among others. Leveraging his expertise in bridging academic inquiry with professional practice and public relevance, Zhe is regularly invited by premier outlets such as CBC and The Globe and Mail to provide insights on contemporary business and branding challenges. 

Zhe's broader research interests lie in branding and marketing communications, and his research program is supported by multiple Insight and Insight Development Grants from SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada).

With his diverse background, Zhe is excited to bring his multidisciplinary perspectives to the classroom and research. He is the recipient of the Research Merit Award (2023), David G. Burgoyne Teaching Award (2024), and the Early Career Impact Award (2025).