Prof Adrian Kuah ~ Professor

Professor Adrian Kuah FCMI FCollP FHEA is a distinguished leader in the fields of strategy and sustainability, currently holding the position of Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at James Cook University. At JCU, he has founded the Circular Economy and Sustainability program at the Cairns Institute and heads Sustainability@JCU.  With over three decades of dedication to environmental sustainability, Professor Kuah's career spans continents, marked by notable achievements such as overseeing Phase 1 of Singapore's groundbreaking $9 billion Deep Tunnel Sewerage System and conducting pivotal research on small economies' competitiveness for the UK's Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment. Throughout his tenure, he held faculty positions at esteemed institutions including Manchester, Bradford, Huddersfield, and Nottingham Trent universities.

Beyond academia, Professor Kuah's influence extends to international policy-making and standardization efforts on the circular economy. He was a member of the National Committee for Circularity of Materials in Singapore (2021-23) and has led its Delegation on ISO/TC 323 Circular Economy at ISO meetings for the past five years. In 2024, he aims to advance global discourse on circular economy standardization through the ISO Action Plan for developing countries 2021 to 2025 with a particular focus on East, Southeast, and South Asian. Other than policy impact, his scholarly impact is also profound, evidenced by his authorship of nearly 100 papers, being nominated for best papers at the Academy of Management Meetings, and acquisition of research grants totaling close to AUD 1 million from global institutions. His work has earned him recognition as one of the top 2.5% circular economy researchers globally by ScholarGPS and among the top six researchers in closed-loop supply chain, remanufacturing, and reverse logistics in Singapore according to SciVal. His research, published in world-ranked journals, solidifies his standing as a preeminent thought leader at the intersection of strategy and sustainability.

Adrian Kuah has been honored as Professor of the Week by the UK Financial Times for his exemplary contributions to business education. He plays a pivotal role at James Cook University, leading the design and instruction of LB5113 Corporate Strategy and other executive courses, while providing mentorship to a cohort of PhD students in their research endeavors. Professor Kuah's academic journey began with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University in 1995, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Strathclyde Graduate Business School in 1998, and culminating in a Doctor of Philosophy from Alliance Manchester Business School in 2007. He is a distinguished Fellow and Ambassador of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI), a Fellow of the College of Preceptor (FCollP), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Engagements & Outreach

• Invited by Standardization Administration of China (SAC) to Qingdao, China for discussion on circular economy adoption and the new 59000 standards with key members of the ISO, developing nations, and stakeholders in Asia between 8 and 10 July 2024. 
• Keynote speaker to the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature (PSSN) and Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat on the topic of Circular Economy for Resource Conservation between 16 and 20 July 2024.
• Head of Delegation representing Singapore at the 5th Meeting for International Organization for Standardization TC 323 in Sao Paulo, Brazil between 2 and 6 October 2023 to collaborate and ratify the Standards ISO 59004, 59010 and 59020.
• Invited by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Phillippines to convene two key research papers selected among 23 papers and 20 posters for International Conference on Connecting the Dots on Circular Economy for Sustainable Development at Bellevue Hotel, Alabang, Manila. 
• Head of Singapore Delegation at the 4th Meeting for International Organization for Standardization TC 323 in Kigali, Rwanda between 25 and 30 September 2022 to align standard development across ISO 59004, 59010 and 59020. Meeting was attended by 47 countries and 250 experts.
• Panel speaker on “Building Sustainability Capabilities in Local Enterprises” by Schneider Electric and Singapore International Chamber of Commerce on 6 – 7 July 2022 at Marina Convention Centre.
• Invited to 2nd International Organization for Standardization Meeting between 15 and 19 June 2020 contributing towards ISO/PWI 59004 and TR 59031.alongside world experts and other national standards bodies. 
• Head of Delegation for JCU Australia in showcasing Queensland’s Advanced Manufacturing and Circular Economy capabilities to representatives of the World Economic Forum visiting Queensland in Oct 2019 organised by the Office of Queensland Chief Entrepreneur.
• Invited by National University of Singapore to partake in a lively 3-hour Panel Discussion “Opportunities and Gaps in the Circular Economy” livestream around the world on 29 August 2019. The conference was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
• Keynote speaker on circular economy and sustainable economic development at the Symposium on Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development at the Cairns Institute on July 2019. The Australian Win TV interviewed him at the 6pm News.
• Delivered JCU Singapore Public Lecture 2017 titled “The Rise and Fall of Mega e-commerce Markets” attended by more than 250 participants. He also delivered a seminar on the same topic at the Asian Consumer Insights at the Nanyang Technological University.

Media Mentions 

• WIN TV News, Australia
• Cairns Post and Queensland Times, Australia
• Straits Times, Singapore
• Eco-Business.com, Singapore
• Financial Times, United Kingdom
• Xinhua News Agency, China

Teaching

• LB5113: Corporate Strategy (Level 5; SIN)

Interests

Research

• Circular Economy comprising inter alia, remanufacturing, recycling, servitization, sharing economy and product design for longevity
• Sustainability Grand Challenges including, inter alia, climate change transition, sustainable livelihoods, sustainable infrastructure, and sustainability reporting

Experience

• 2024 to present - Professor (Level E), James Cook University
• 2016 to 2023 - Assoc Professor (Level D), James Cook University
• 2011 to 2015 - Senior Lecturer (Level C), James Cook University
• 2010 to 2011 - Principal Lecturer/ MBA Director, Nottingham Trent University UK
• 2004 to 2010 - Senior Lecturer/ BBus Director, University of Bradford UK
• 2002 to 2004 - University Lecturer, University of Huddersfield UK
• 2000 to 2002 - ESRC Researcher/ MBA Lecturer, Manchester Business School UK
• 1996 to 2000 - Mechanical Engineer/ Program Manager, Ministry of the Environment, Singapore
• 1995 to 1996 - Industrial Engineer, AT&T Consumer Products, Singapore & Indonesia
• 1994 - Process Engineer, Silicon Systems Singapore

Research Disciplines

• Strategy, management and organisational behaviour (3507)
• Human resources and industrial relations (3505)
• Marketing (3506)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)
• Management and productivity (1503)
• Property, business support services and trade (1103)

Awards

• 2021 - Vice Chancellor Awards of Excellence for Innovation and Change - 1st place
• 2021 - Professional Team Award - JCU Singapore
• 2021 - Professional Engagement Award - JCU Singapore
• 2020 - Research Recognition Award - JCU College of Business Law and Governance
• 2019 - JCU TropEco Excellence Award: Addressing Sustainable Development Goals
• 2014 - Oxford Scholarship Online - Oxford University Press
• 2013 - FT Professor of the Week - Financial Times (28 May 2013)
• 2008 - Dean's List of Outstanding Faculty Award - University of Bradford
• 2003 - Best Synopsis Prize - Manchester Federal School of Business and Management Conference 2003
• 2002 - Best Synopsis Prize - Manchester Federal School of Business and Management Conference 2002
• 1998 - Gold Medal for Best Dissertation - University of Strathclyde

Fellowships

• 2019 - Professor (ADJ), L'Ecole de Commerce de Tahiti, PF
• 2011 - Fellow, The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, AUS
• 2010 - Fellow, College of Preceptors, UK
• 2010 - Ambassador and Fellow, Chartered Management Institute, UK
• 2004 - Fellow, Higher Education Academy, UK
• 2017 to 2020 - University Fellow, Charles Darwin University, AUS
• 2012 to 2017 - Fellow, Grenoble Ecole de Management, France
• 2009 to 2012 - Fellow, Advanced Institute of Management Research, UK

Memberships

• 2010 to 2012 - International Theme Committee, Committee Member, Academy of Management, US.

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Kim C, Kuah A and Thirumaran K (2022) Morphology for circular economy business models in the electrical and electronic equipment sector of Singapore and South Korea: findings, implications, and future agenda. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 30. pp. 829-850
• Kuah A, Xia Y and Wang P (2022) How Do Corporate Social Responsibility Engagements Drive Consumer–Company Identification in Singapore? Sustainability, 40 (10).
• Lai N, Kuah A, Kim C and Wong K (2022) Toward sustainable express deliveries for online shopping: reusing packaging materials through reverse logistics. Thunderbird International Business Review, 64 (4). pp. 351-362
• Pillai R, Wang P and Kuah A (2022) Unlocking corporate social responsibility in smaller firms: Compliance, conviction, burden, or opportunity? Thunderbird International Business Review, 64 (6). pp. 627-646
• De Silva M, Wang P and Kuah A (2021) Why wouldn't green appeal drive purchase intention? Moderation effects of consumption values in the UK and China. Journal of Business Research, 122. pp. 713-724
• Kuah A, Kim C and Le Queux S (2021) Multiculturalism in Singapore and Malaysia: approaches and outcomes. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 40 (3). pp. 290-308
• Le Queux S and Kuah A (2021) Junzi leadership in Singapore: governance and human capital development. Journal of Management Development, 40 (5). pp. 389-403
• Wang P, Kuah A, Lu Q, Wong C, Thirumaran K, Adegbite E and Kendall W (2021) The impact of value perceptions on purchase intention of sustainable luxury brands in China and the UK. Journal of Brand Management, 28. pp. 325-346
• Hao S, Kuah A, Rudd C, Wong K, Lai N, Mao J and Liu X (2020) A circular economy approach to green energy: wind turbine, waste, and material recovery. Science of the Total Environment, 702.
• Thompson C, Kuah A, Foong R and Ng E (2020) The development of emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and locus of control in MBA students. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 31 (1). pp. 113-31
• Kuah A (2018) Tropical urbanisation and the life of public housing in Singapore. Etropic: electronic journal of studies in the tropics, 17 (1). pp. 41-59

Book Chapters

• Kuah A and Kim C (2021) Digital servitisation and reverse logistics towards a new circular economy. In: Digital Transformation in a Post-Covid World: sustainable innovation, disruption, and change. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, pp. 289-307

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 51+ research outputs authored by Prof Adrian Kuah from 2002 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Achieving Triple Win with Skills-Based Volunteering (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Digitalisation and Digitisation: The Impact on Memory-Making and the Role of Museums (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Consumer evaluation and advertising effectiveness in digital influencer marketing and live streaming e-commence (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Brand Identity and Value Creation: Determining Brands Co-ownership in the Experience Age (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Recovery of wast plastics in China and Australia based on Circular Economy principles (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Circular economy business models and consumer acceptance in the electrical and electronic equipment sector: a comparative study of Singapore and South Korea (2023, PhD , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.