Yao Ma is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Neuchâtel, where she also earned her PhD in Management. She further broadened her academic experience as a visiting researcher at the Exeter Centre for Social Networks at the University of Exeter. Yao Ma holds two master’s degrees from the University of St. Gallen and completed her undergraduate studies at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

Yao Ma’s research interests lie at the intersection of social networks, strategic management, and entrepreneurship. Her work focuses on influential business leaders — such as CEOs, entrepreneurs, top managers, and board directors — and their social networks, both within their organizations and across the broader business ecosystem. She explores how these networks evolve and influence organizational strategic outcomes. Her scholarly contributions include an upcoming article in the British Journal of Management and a publication in the Journal of Organizational Change Management. She has also presented her research at multiple international academic conferences, including the Academy of Management (AOM), the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), and Sunbelt.

Beyond academia, Yao Ma has gained practical expertise through roles in investment and consulting firms. Her specialization includes mergers and acquisitions (M&A), strategy consulting, strategic restructuring, and venture capital investment.