PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

José Parra Moyano

José Parra Moyano is a management scholar whose work examines how data and AI can help solve organizational and societal problems. He came to Switzerland in 2009 to study economics at the University of Zurich, founded Lionstep's recruitment-algorithm business, and earned a summa cum laude PhD on blockchain-based systems. He became an assistant professor at Copenhagen Business School and joined IMD in 2023 as Professor of Digital Strategy. His work includes a 2024 Harvard Business Review article on data collaboration for AI and a 2026 IMD article on AI agent oversight; as of October 2026, he teaches AI, strategy, and innovation at IMD.

Now at
IMD
Badges

Timeline

  1. 2009

    Economics at Zurich

    He comes to Switzerland in 2009 to study economics at the University of Zurich.

  2. 2016–2018

    Lionstep's recruitment algorithms

    He co-founds Lionstep in 2016, a startup that develops data-driven algorithms for recruitment. In 2018, he sells his share after helping grow the company.

  3. 2018

    Forbes and a blockchain PhD

    He researches blockchain under Professor Karl Schmedders at UZH and appears on Forbes' 30 under 30 list in 2018. He earns a summa cum laude PhD from UZH in 2018 for his work on management and economics of blockchain-based systems.

  4. 2019–2023

    From Copenhagen to IMD

    In 2019, he accepts an offer as Assistant Professor in Blockchain Technology at Copenhagen Business School. In 2023, he joins IMD as Professor of Digital Strategy.

  5. 2024

    Data collaboration for AI

    In January 2024, he coauthors Harvard Business Review's “How Data Collaboration Platforms Can Help Companies Build Better AI” with Karl Schmedders and Alex Pentland. The article describes data quality as a challenge for companies training fine-tuned AI models.

  6. 2025

    Thinkers50 Radar Class

    Thinkers50 includes him in its Radar Class of 2025. His research explores how data and AI can help solve organizational and societal problems.

  7. 2026

    AI agent oversight

    In September 2026, he coauthors an IMD article on AI agent safety and calls for a named human owner, an accountable handler, and a spending ceiling for each deployed agent. IMD lists him among Poets&Quants' Best 40 Under 40 Graduate Business Professors in 2026.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor of Digital Strategy

    He is Professor of Digital Strategy at IMD, where he teaches programs on AI, strategy, and innovation.

Career

  1. Since 2023IMDProfessor of Digital Strategy
  2. 2019–2023Copenhagen Business SchoolAssistant Professor in Blockchain Technology
  3. 2016–2018LionstepCo-founder

Education

  1. 2018University of ZurichPhD
  2. From 2009University of Zurich

From the biography.

  1. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes José Parra Moyano. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Zurich. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Zurich. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  4. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Zurich. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of José Parra Moyano yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Researcher with Multiple Talents news.uzh.ch. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. José Parra Moyano - IMD imd.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. News Archive 2019 - Department of Business Administration - UZH business.uzh.ch. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. How Data Collaboration Platforms Can Help Companies Build Better AI hbr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. José Parra Moyano - Thinkers50 thinkers50.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. AI leaders are pulling the safety alarm. Here's what that means for business leaders imdweb.imd.org. Checked 20 October 2026.