- IMD Business School
Andrew Sharman - IMD Business School

Andrew Sharman

Adjunct Professor of Risk, Resilience, and Safety Culture

Andrew Sharman is an Adjunct Professor of Risk, Resilience, and Safety Culture. His work with executives focuses on the exploration and understanding of risk and safety culture and the positive influence and impact leaders can have.

A dynamic and visionary thought leader, Sharman is a trusted C-suite coach to leaders at hundreds of global companies across industry sectors including automotive, aviation, mining, construction, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG.

His experience spans over 130 countries with a broad range of clients from FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 organizations including Amazon, Apple, BASF, Bayer, Bridgestone, Burberry, Carlsberg, Cemex, Coca-Cola, DHL, FedEx, Glencore, Heineken, Hilti, IKEA, L’Oréal, LVMH, Mars Wrigley, Mercedes Benz, Merck, Molson Coors, Nike, Novo Nordisk, PepsiCo, Rockwool, Sanofi, Skanska, Sodexo, Solvay, Tata, and ThyssenKrupp. His work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) includes the United Nations, the International Trade Center, and the World Health Organization.

Effective risk management isn’t about the addition of more paperwork, rules, and regulations, it’s much more about creating a culture of care, where everyone can thrive and drive deep value. It’s the responsibility of senior leaders to create this culture and ensure it’s truly felt throughout the organization.

Sharman is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health, a Fellow of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management, a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Health & Safety Lawyers Association, and a Member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

He is the 53rd President of the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health and Chairman of the Board at the One Percent Safer Foundation. Sharman is also the Chief Executive of the International Institute of Leadership & Safety Culture (‘IILSC’), at the European Centre for Executive Development (in French, Le Centre Européen d’Education Permanente or ‘CEDEP’) in Fontainebleau, France. Previously, he’s former Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Leadership & Management and Non-Executive Director of the Earth Focus Foundation.

His teaching focus in executive education covers different topics of leadership and organizational behavior from stress and resilience to safety culture, helping leaders create positive, sustainable culture change. His natural curiosity, coupled with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ensures that his approach is relevant, high-impact, and grounded in practical application.

The recipient of several international awards for his work, Sharman’s 2014 TED talk continues to change perceptions around risk and fear in modern society. He developed the national syllabus for health and safety qualifications in the UK and received a letter of commendation from Queen Elizabeth II for his creation and chairmanship of Scotland’s first-ever public debate on workplace safety.

His teaching experience includes the Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education (Caltech CTME), the European Centre for Executive Development (CEDEP) in France, Universität Zürich, Switzerland, and Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.

He has written 10 books on safety culture, leadership, well-being, and resilience including the global bestseller From Accidents to Zero and Mind Your Own Business: What Your MBA Should Have Taught You About Workplace Health & Safety, co-authored with Dame Judith Hackitt. He also writes for several prestigious journals on sustainability, resilience, safety behavior, culture, and leadership.

Sharman has master’s degrees in both international health and safety law & environmental law and occupational psychology & organizational behavior plus a doctorate in leadership & culture transformation.

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