Fabian Salum

Fabian Salum is a Full Professor and leading researcher in Competitive Strategy, with a focus on Business Models and Innovation Management at Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC). He was recognized among the most influential professors and researchers according to the 2023 World Scientist and University Rankings.

He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC Minas), including a doctoral exchange period at INSEAD, France. He also earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Fundação Pedro Leopoldo and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from PUC Minas.

Before joining academia, he built an extensive executive career, holding technical, managerial, and C-level positions in organizations such as Telemig, Toshiba, Unilever, Lear Corporation, Fiat, and Votorantim. He was also an entrepreneur, founding a start-up in the e-commerce and heavy machinery retail sector, and later became co-owner of a bovine leather processing company. His professional experience spans the telecommunications, education, automotive, consumer goods, mining, engineering, and energy sectors.

As a professor, he has taught at FGV and IBMEC in Brazil and has lectured in joint programs offered by FDC in partnership with institutions such as Kellogg, CKGSB, and INSEAD. Professor Salum teaches in graduate, Executive MBA, open-enrollment, and customized corporate programs, as well as in partnership programs designed for family-owned businesses across Brazil and Latin America.

He was a columnist for Exame magazine and is the author of books, book chapters, and academic articles published by Cengage Learning, Alta Books, and Palgrave Macmillan.

At FDC, he has held several leadership positions, including Director of the Sustainable Growth Partnership (PCS), Coordinator of the Innovation Reference Center (CRI Minas), Coordinator of the Strategy Reference Center, and Technical Coordinator of the Partners for Excellence Program (PAEX). Following a one-year period at INSEAD, he co-founded the Practical Business Model Community in collaboration with faculty members from educational institutions across Brazil, Latin America, and Europe.

He currently serves as an Independent Board Member for medium-sized and large companies, as well as a member of Innovation and Strategic Management Committees.