by ESSEC Knowledge Editor-in-chief
, 30.01.25
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Congratulations to Professor Cristina Alaimo, who has been included in the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2025! This list, published annually in January, spotlights 30 up-and-coming management thinkers that Thinkers50 believes will make waves in the future. Dr. Alaimo’s inclusion in the 2025 cohort marks the first time a current ESSEC Business School professor has been included in the list*.
Dr. Alaimo, Associate Professor of Information Systems, Data Analytics and Operations at ESSEC, was recognized for her work on the impact of digital data on organizations. She studies the processes of data making, how data coordinate the business of digital platforms, and the development of new digital ecosystems. Her book, DATA RULES: Reinventing the Market Economy, (co-authored with Jannis Kallinikos),discusses the history and role of data in shaping our society and explores the potential of data in restructuring the economy.
Dr. Alaimo notes, “It’s an honor to be included in the Thinkers50 Radar list of 2025 for my work on data. Over the last ten years, I have written about the fundamental role digital data plays in the re-making of our organizations and institutions. I recently published the book 'Data Rules: Reinventing the Market Economy' (published by the MIT Press) with Jannis Kallinikos, and I am thrilled to see how the book is sparking new conversations around data that crisscross traditional academic divides. The list is an opportunity to reflect and expand on the innovative social science approach to data we propose and to invite business leaders to break away from traditional misconceptions about data. Thank you, Thinkers50!”
About Thinkers50
Thinkers50 is a resource for identifying and ranking important contemporary management thinkers and ideas. They publish eight rankings: in addition to the Thinkers50 Radar ranking, there is their original ranking, Thinkers50: Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards, Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, Thinkers50 Booklists, Thinkers50 Coaching Legends, and Coaches50, Leaders50.
The Thinkers50 Radar was created in collaboration with ATD (Association for Talent Development). The thinkers included on the list have either been identified directly by Thinkers50 or nominated by a member of the Thinkers50 community. This year’s cohort featured brilliant minds working on AI, workplace well-being, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
About Dr. Alaimo
Cristina Alaimo is Associate Professor at ESSEC Business School, France. She holds a Ph.D. in Management, Information Systems, and Innovation from LSE - The London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. Her research focuses on the innovation brought about by data-based services and their consequences for organizations and society. She is also interested in studying the broader ecosystem of data exchanges in which digital platforms are embedded and how these new platform ecosystems emerge and evolve. Cristina’s work has been published in journals such as Organization Science, Organization Studies, The Information Society, Journal of Management Information Systems, Journal of Information Technology, and Research in the Sociology of Organizations. She is a co-author with Jannis Kallinikos of the book “Data Rules: Reinventing the Market Economy,” The MIT Press (2024). Cristina is Senior Editor for the European Journal of Information Systems and Senior Editor for Organization Studies and sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Management Information Systems.
*Dr. Hamid Bouchikhi, Professor of Management, was included in the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2021, during his time as Dean of Solbridge Business School in South Korea. Learn more about Dr. Bouchikhi’s work here.
