Sali Li keynote speaker

Sali Li is an internationally recognized scholar, management thinker and expert in global strategy, digital innovation and international business. A Moore Professor of International Business at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, he explores how organizations can create new markets, scale digital platforms and develop competitive advantages in an increasingly complex global economy.

Selected for the prestigious Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2026, Sali is recognized among emerging management thinkers whose ideas are expected to influence the future of business and leadership. His research challenges traditional assumptions about international expansion and offers new perspectives on how organizations can grow through innovation, market creation and digital ecosystems.

At the University of South Carolina, Sali teaches Global Strategy and Negotiation across MBA, doctoral and executive education programs. He is also a Rugman Fellow at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. His academic work combines rigorous research with practical insights into the strategic decisions facing multinational corporations, technology companies and businesses operating across international markets.

Sali is the co-author, with Noman Shaheer, of Global Strategy: A Market Creation Approach, published by SAGE in 2025. The book introduces an alternative perspective on global expansion, moving beyond the traditional approach of replicating successful business models in new geographic markets. Instead, it explores how companies can identify unmet needs, create new demand and develop innovative ecosystems that generate value across borders.

A central theme of Sali's work is the international expansion of digital platforms. He examines how network effects, platform governance, customer behavior and differences between national institutions influence the ability of digital businesses to scale globally. His research highlights why technological connectivity alone does not guarantee international success and why companies must carefully balance global integration with local market realities.

His expertise also extends to artificial intelligence and its implications for global business strategy. As AI transforms how organizations coordinate operations, analyze information and make decisions, Sali explores how technological capabilities interact with regulatory environments, institutional differences and evolving sources of competitive advantage.

Sali's research has appeared in leading academic and business publications, including Harvard Business Review, Academy of Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science and Journal of Business Venturing. His work provides strategic insights into digital transformation, entrepreneurship, multinational business models and the changing dynamics of global competition.

His academic contributions have received several international distinctions, including the Rugman Prize from the Academy of International Business in 2022 and the Lazaridis Award for the Journal of Business Venturing Best Paper of the Year in 2020. He has also received the Temple/AIB Best Paper Award and the GWU-CIBER Best Paper Award on Emerging Markets.

Before joining the University of South Carolina, Sali served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin's Lubar School of Business. He earned his PhD from the University of Utah, a master's degree from the University of Kentucky and a bachelor's degree from Dalian Maritime University.

Through his research, teaching and executive education, Sali helps business leaders rethink established approaches to international growth. His work demonstrates how organizations can move beyond traditional geographic expansion strategies to build innovative business models, develop digital ecosystems and create sustainable value in global markets.

As a potential keynote speaker, Sali offers a research-driven perspective on the future of globalization, digital platform competition and international business strategy. His ideas are particularly relevant to executives, entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking to understand how technological innovation, artificial intelligence and changing market dynamics are reshaping the global business landscape.