PhD Candidates

Wilhelm Jacobs

Wilhelm (Will) Jacobs (Netherlands) is the Founder and Managing Partner of LeadToSuccess B.V., an independent advisory practice supporting boards, executive teams and organisations undergoing strategic and operational transformation. He has more than 25 years of international executive leadership experience in operations, supply chain management, digital commerce and business transformation.

Throughout his career, Will has held senior executive and board-level positions at multinational organisations, including Cimpress, Firmenich, Unilever and Henkel. As Chief Supply Chain Officer and Board Member of Cimpress N.V., his global responsibilities spanned operations, supply chain, technology, innovation and business transformation. His experience includes leading international organisations, integrating acquisitions and transforming business operations in markets such as China, India, several African countries and Russia. Through his advisory practice, he also supports emerging and technology-driven businesses in developing scalable organisations and sustainable business models.

He holds an MBA from Henley Business School in the United Kingdom, an MSc in Information Technology from De Montfort University in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor-level degree in Business Economics (HEAO) from Inholland University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. He is also the author of Rock Paper Scissors – The Instant Leadership Solution, reflecting his longstanding interest in leadership, decision-making and organisational effectiveness.

His proposed research examines how digital platforms influence the formalisation of informal entrepreneurs in India. Drawing on institutional theory, he investigates how platform governance mechanisms, entrepreneurial capabilities and institutional trust shape entrepreneurs’ opportunities and decisions to participate in the formal economy. Combining qualitative interviews with quantitative research, his study explores when platforms facilitate formal business registration and regulatory compliance, and when they enable continued informal activity or alternative forms of institutional participation. His research aims to advance understanding of platform governance in emerging economies and provide practical insights for policymakers, platform operators and entrepreneurs seeking to support inclusive and sustainable economic development.