A heartfelt welcome to Louisville and to the 67th annual meeting of the Academy of International Business! I’m so pleased you’re joining us for what promises to be a stimulating and spirited gathering around our theme: “Making IB Scholarship Matter.”
At a time when our world feels increasingly divided by conflict, uncertainty, and geopolitical tension, our work as international business scholars is more important—and more impactful—than ever. This is precisely why coming together now, in person, is so meaningful. As someone who has been a member of AIB for over three decades, I can tell you that the joy and energy of connecting with this community—of exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions, and building friendships across borders—has never felt more vital.
This year’s program is designed to reflect the significance of our shared mission. Our four plenary panels around the theme, led by respected scholars and leaders, will each explore how IB research can make a difference—for policy, for practice, for society, and for business schools. These conversations promise to be provocative, reflective, and inspiring.
The pre-conference program, curated by Sjoerd Beugelsdijk, kicks off with a rich array of offerings— from our Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) in Teaching and Education, Research Methods, Digitalization, Emerging Markets, Sustainability and from WAIB. If you’re new to AIB, these are fantastic opportunities to meet colleagues and jump right in. The ever-popular Doctoral and Junior Faculty Consortia follow, together with sessions for consortia participants on AI in IB (new this year) and Research Ethics, and a Reviewing workshop featuring journal editors.
Our AIB Fellows, under the leadership of Tamer Cavusgil and Andrew Delios, continue to shape our intellectual direction and honor excellence in our field. We are thrilled to welcome and celebrate this year’s AIB Fellows Awards honorees:
You’ll have the chance to hear from each of them during the conference, and I hope you won’t miss these moments.
If this is your first AIB conference, an especially warm welcome to you! We’ve designed many touch-points to help you feel at home, from the New Members’ Welcome Event on 29 June to informal Fellows Cafés, Teaching Cafés, and Research Methods Clinics. Get involved with our SIGs—they’re a great way to build connections that will last far beyond these few days.
As Program Chair, I’m deeply grateful to the 28 track chairs, our generous reviewers, and all of you who will serve as session chairs. Your contributions are what make this conference possible—and meaningful. Behind the scenes, a special thanks goes to the incredible AIB Secretariat—Tunga, Ieva, Anne, Bernice, Kathy, and Dan—whose dedication and flexibility have made this all run so smoothly. I also want to recognize Justin Bailey, my program assistant, and the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, for their tremendous support.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the courage and commitment it has taken for many of you to make this journey, particularly amid uncertainties around international travel. Your presence here is an act of solidarity and optimism—a belief that the global exchange of ideas is not only worthwhile but essential.
Thank you for being here. I hope this week in Louisville will recharge you—intellectually, professionally, and personally—and reaffirm your place in this vibrant global community that is AIB.
With warmest regards,
Sri Zaheer
Vice-President Program/2025 Program Chair, Academy of International Business
Elmer L. Andersen Chair in Global CSR, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
