Ulrich Hommel is a world-renowned expert in higher education accreditation, quality management, and strategic leadership. As the founder and managing director of XOLAS ADVISORS, he leverages his extensive experience to guide business schools toward achieving international recognition and sustainable success.

Ulrich brings a wealth of experience to XOLAS ADVISORS, having served as Dean, Rector, and Managing Director at EBS University of Business and Law, and has held a professorship in Finance since 2000. In addition to his faculty role, he currently serves as the Vice Dean of Education and the Academic Director of the MBA program at EBS Business School. He has been engaged with EFMD Global for over 15 years, serving in various capacities, including Director of Quality Services, Director of Business School Development, and Director of Research and Surveys. He has participated in and led over 60 accreditation panels, giving him unparalleled insight into the accreditation process and standards for business schools worldwide. He currently serves as Director of EFMD’s Quality Assurance Academy.

Ulrich’s academic research focuses on risk management, restructuring, and entrepreneurial financing, all topics that mirror his interests in higher education. Ulrich earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and received a Dr. habil in Business Administration from WHU. He has published extensively in leading journals of his field and is also a regular contributor to the discourse on the future development of business schools.

At XOLAS ADVISORS, Ulrich serves as Managing Director, spearheading the company’s strategic positioning and commercial development. He also consults on strategy, restructuring, and risk management. He also supports clients in challenging accreditation and rankings situations.

Ulrich’s vision for XOLAS ADVISORS: “We empower our clients to navigate the complexities of today’s higher education landscape and achieve their strategic ambitions. With a focus on quality, innovation, and sustainability, we provide expert guidance and tailored solutions to help institutions thrive in a competitive global environment.”

Wolfram Berger brings over 15 years of senior management experience at leading business schools and universities across Germany, France, and England to XOLAS ADVISORS. He is recognized for his ability to provide strategic direction and ambition for academic development while driving transformative change and innovation. Wolfram is currently the Vice President for Internationalization at Brandenburg University of Technology in Germany, where he also serves as Chaired Professor of Economics. In this role, he leads efforts to expand the university’s global presence, strengthen academic partnerships, and manage complex organizational change initiatives.

Wolfram has successfully applied his process and change management expertise to deliver impactful results. He has led institutional transformations, including the renewal of academic program portfolios, enhancements to teaching and learning, and the integration of knowledge transfer with external partners. His work focuses on fostering collaboration, building sustainable systems, and implementing strategic initiatives that drive organizational growth and agility. Previously, Wolfram served as Academic Director and a member of the Executive Committee at ICN Business School, where he was responsible for faculty and research management. His leadership extended to internationalization, research and innovation management, and faculty development, earning him a reputation for successfully guiding institutions through change while focusing on quality and impact.

At XOLAS ADVISORS, Wolfram leads the change management practice, engages in restructuring projects, and advises clients on the repositioning of their program portfolios. Wolfram currently also spearheads the development of XOLAS ADVISORS’ internationalization service. He furthermore serves as Co-Head of Business Development for Europe.

Wolfram’s vision for XOLAS ADVISORS: “I aim to help clients optimize their operational performance by implementing targeted change management strategies. I am also committed to developing internationalization advisory into a viable practice for XOLAS based on our proprietary analytics-driven framework.”

Jean is a Chair in Accounting and Financial Management at the University of Kent, which is home to a triple-crown business school. Before joining Kent, Jean had worked in the UK higher education sector for more than 20 years, serving in a wide range of managerial roles, including Head of Department, Dean of the Business School, and University Vice-President. She obtained her Ph.D. in Economics from Lancaster University, UK. She held a Chair in Accounting and Finance in the University of Surrey and the University of Southampton, a Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK (FHEA) and a Fellow of Chartered Public Accountant (Australia) (FCPA). She held two senior roles as a Council Member and the Chair of Council’s International Committee in the Royal Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) in the UK. In past years, Jean had worked at the University of Liverpool’s China campus as the Dean of the International Business School and Chaired Professor, and at the University of Macau as the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Chaired Professor. She has been involved with several NGOs in Macau and served also as the Vice President of the China (Macau)-Europe International Business Association.

Jean is an internationally well-known expert on business school accreditations. She led Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University to obtain AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which made the school the youngest business school in the world to earn full AACSB and EQUIS accreditation in the shortest period. She further led the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Macau from no accreditations to the triple crown. She has actively participated in international accreditation review and assessment activities, serving as chair or member of peer review teams to evaluate numerous business schools worldwide for AACSB, EFMD, and AMBA. She also has significant expertise in developing executive courses, such as DBA and EMBA.

Jean is a world-renowned scholar in the fields of accounting, finance, and corporate governance. She has served as an editor and editorial board member of leading journals, delivered keynote speeches and seminars at international conferences, and participated in advisory and review bodies. She has published 190 journal articles, monographs, book chapters, and international conference papers, with an international excellence rating (e.g., FT50, ABS4*).

At XOLAS ADVISORS, Jean supports clients in developing international accreditation strategies and advises them in executing them successfully. She also consults clients in strategy development and program portfolio management. Jean furthermore serves as the Head of Business Development for Asia and Oceania and co-leads business development in the UK.

Jean’s vision for XOLAS ADVISORS: “I envision a future where business schools across Asia and beyond achieve global recognition through strategic accreditation. At XOLAS ADVISORS, I strive to be the leading partner in developing the company’s Asian footprint, leveraging my expertise in achieving triple-crown accreditations and my deep understanding of the Asian higher education landscape to elevate institutions to the highest international standards.”

Christina Green has served in leadership positions at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management and the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and currently holds a role at the TUM School of Management. She has been involved with EFMD Global for over four years as a mentor for the Quality Assurance Academy. She has contributed to numerous successful accreditation projects and led international strategic initiatives, demonstrating her deep understanding of higher education management.

Christina is a distinguished expert in higher education quality management, strategic planning, and accreditation. She brings a wealth of expertise in navigating the complex landscape of international accreditation, having worked extensively with AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA standards. Her successful track record in this area is a testament to her ability to guide institutions through these rigorous processes. Beyond accreditation, she is adept at managing ranking initiatives; she excels at crafting and implementing customized strategies that enhance institutional performance and underpin ambitious developmental ambitions. Christina furthermore helps clients develop their quality management teams in parallel to executing a multi-system accreditation strategy.

At XOLAS ADVISORS, Christina leads the accreditation and rankings practice and serves as the Head of Business Development for the D/A/CH region. She also advises clients on strategy and change management.

Christina’s Vision for XOLAS ADVISORS: “Through my work for XOLAS Advisors, I am committed to helping institutions maximize their developmental capabilities. I am confident that every university can reach global excellence, and I am devoted to providing the strategic direction and assistance needed to ensure their ongoing success.”

Martin is a seasoned academic leader with over 15 years of experience in senior academic management roles at European universities. He is currently the Vice Rector for International Affairs at the University of Vaasa. Before this, Martin served as Dean and Department Head at the Universities of Aberdeen, Kent, and Sussex. In addition, Martin worked at institutions such as Aalto/Helsinki University of Technology, KU Leuven, and Linköping. Martin has a track record as a transformational leader in higher education (HE) within the business school context, having grown and developed the institutions where he has worked. He has consulted widely on a wide range of topics, including innovation ecosystems, centers of excellence, and the development of executive education and MBA programs. 

Martin’s research focuses on knowledge exchange, academic patenting and emerging technologies. Martin’s most recent work focuses on innovation intermediaries, interdisciplinary research and research performance as well as innovation opportunity spaces. He is also interested in the bibliometric analysis of science and technology and their interrelationships. Martin has more than 150 publications to his name, which have been cited more than 11,000 times. He has published more than 50 articles in international, peer-reviewed journals, such as Research Policy, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, R&D Management, Journal of Business Research, International Business Review, and Scientometrics.

At XOLAS ADVISORS, Martin assists clients in strategy development and change management. He also supports clients’ accreditation and ranking initiatives. Martin co-leads business development in Europe and the UK.

Martin’s vision for XOLAS ADVISORS: “I wish to be at the forefront of transformative change in higher education. By assisting clients in crafting visionary strategic plans, implementing effective change management initiatives, and providing expert support for accreditation and ranking endeavors, I aim to cultivate agile, high-performing institutions that are well-positioned for future success in a dynamically evolving global landscape.“