Karina R. Jensen

Founder and Executive Director

Dr. Karina R. Jensen is an international management consultant, change facilitator, and educator with 20+ years of experience in launching and leading global innovation and education initiatives across functions and cultures. She ensured organizational readiness and strategic alignment for the introduction of new programs, products and services across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific for companies such as Adobe, Hyperion (now Oracle), NEC, and Symantec. As the Founder and Executive Director of Global Minds Network, she enjoys facilitating multicultural collaboration and global innovation performance for international leaders and teams.

Karina is a Professor of Practice in Global Innovation and Leadership as well as the former Practice Director at the Centre for Leadership and Effective Organizations at NEOMA Business School in France. She conducts research and consults international firms on global innovation readiness, leadership development, and multicultural team collaboration. Her book ‘Leading Global Innovation’ is based on research with over 200 leaders and 45 multinational firms in Asia, Europe, and North America. She has taught courses in global innovation management, leadership, organizational change, and multicultural team collaboration at business schools and executive education programs in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. She has delivered keynote and guest speaker presentations, seminars, and workshops to managers and executives at multinational firms, SMEs, start-ups, non-profit organizations, academic and industry conferences around the world.

Raised in Europe and the US, Karina has enjoyed business trips and travel adventures to 50+ countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, North and South America. With a commitment to improve education programs for children and women in marginalized communities, she launched the Empower Social Entrepreneurship Program, Global Minds Network’s social action program. She is the founder and co-leader of the Innovation Leadership SIG at ISPIM (International Society for Professional Innovation Management) with a vision to engage and develop innovation leaders who will make a positive impact on the world. Karina holds a PhD in International Management from ESCP Business School, a MBA in International Business from Ecole des PontsParistech, and a BA in Public Relations from California State University-San Jose where she was a proud member of the leadership team at AIESEC.