The New Platform Strategies Chair, led by Professor Frédéric Fréry and developed in partnership with Sonepar, continues to enrich academic and corporate thinking through applied research and pedagogical innovation in the field of platform strategies.

With a strong ambition to bridge research and practice, the Chair aims to deepen understanding of platform-based business models, disseminate insights between academia and the business world, and raise awareness among future leaders facing rapidly evolving digital and organizational ecosystems.

A Strong Research Agenda

The Chair currently brings together ten professor-researchers working on three major research projects:

  • Project 1 – Beyond: Transgressing the Limits of Business through Platform Reconfiguration
    Régis Coeurderoy & Matilde Guilhon
    This work explores how platforms can redefine organizational boundaries and transform traditional business models.
  • Project 2 – Responsible Platform Ecosystem Strategies
    Lorena Blascos-Arcas
    This research focuses on the governance and responsibility challenges of platform ecosystems, highlighting sustainable and ethical strategic approaches.
  • Project 3 – Rethinking the Economics of B2B Platforms: Towards Customer and Stakeholder Capture Strategies
    Frédéric Jallat
    This project revisits the economic foundations of B2B platforms, emphasizing value creation and capture for customers and stakeholders.

Innovative Teaching Through Case Studies

In parallel with its research activities, the Chair develops pedagogical case studies designed to support teaching and executive education:

  • Case 1 – Sonepar’s Digital Transformation and Platform Strategy
    Martin Kupp
    An in-depth analysis of Sonepar’s strategic shift toward platform-based value creation.
  • Case 2 – Competing Business Models and Ecosystems in the Global Construction Industry
    Chuanwen Dong & Julio Brito
    A comparative study of competing platforms and ecosystems shaping the construction sector worldwide.
  • Case 3 – Implementing a Low-Carbon Supply Chain: Decarbonization and Reverse Logistics
    Fabienne Fel & Damien Forterre
    This case examines how platform strategies can support sustainable supply chains and environmental transitions.

Bridging Research and Business Impact

Through its research projects and teaching cases, the New Platform Strategies Chair contributes actionable insights to companies navigating complex platform ecosystems. By fostering dialogue between scholars and practitioners, the Chair plays a key role in shaping informed, responsible, and future-oriented platform strategies.

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