Light Footprint Management: Leadership in Times of Change

What can managers in today's uncertain, unimaginably complex world learn from President Obama and top Chinese executives?

Charles-Edouard Bouée proposes “light footprint” management – comparable to a new American military doctrine and similar to a recently emerged Chinese management style that subordinates strategy to vision and tactics. Bouée explains how conventional management methodologies, techniques and tools can be adapted to the conditions of an increasingly ambiguous and apparently unmanageable world.

Light Footprint Management explains the dynamics of the new business environment and describes the kinds of organization most likely to succeed in it.

Charles-Edouard Bouée is the CEO of Roland Berger. Prior to his election in June 2014, he was the COO responsible for Global Operations beginning from July 2013. He joined the firm as Senior Partner in the Paris Office, where he headed the Financial Services and Utility & Energy Competence Centers as well as the firm's private equity activities. Mr. Bouée began his career at Société Générale as an investment banker in Paris and London. Before joining Roland Berger he was Vice President of another leading strategy consulting firm from 1997 to 2001. Mr. Bouée has been involved in projects in Europe, the Middle East, America and Asia working mainly on strategy, mergers and acquisitions and large-scale performance improvement projects.

Mr. Bouée is an economic advisor to the French Government (Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur) in China, and a member of the Shanghai board of the European Chamber of Commerce in China, where he has promoted cooperation among member companies, governments and business communities in both China and Europe. In 2012, he was presented with the Gold Magnolia Award by the Shanghai Municipal Government for his civic leadership and business contributions to Shanghai's development. Mr. Bouée is a frequent guest analyst on financial and news media. He is the author of the book China's Management Revolution: Spirit, Land, Energy.

Mr. Bouée holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School, a Master of Science degree from Ecole Centrale Paris and a Master's degree in Law from Paris University.