Pablo Leao 

ABOUT ME

I am a researcher and educator focused on how organizations shape social inequality within and across societies. My work sits at the intersection of strategy, international business, and social issues in management, with a particular interest in how firms influence inequality through leadership structures, inclusion efforts, and institutional contexts. I draw on large-scale linked employer–employee data from Brazil, as well as global and country-level datasets, to examine racial and gender inequality, managerial representation, and corporate approaches to diversity. While much of my research engages deeply with the Brazilian context, it contributes to broader debates on how inequality is reproduced or challenged within organizations around the world. My work was recently recognized with the 2025 Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) Dare to Care Dissertation Award, which honors research that contributes meaningfully to both scholarship and society.

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I am currently completing a PhD at Copenhagen Business School at the Department of Strategy and Innovation under the supervision of Michael Mol and Grazia Santangelo. That builds on my first PhD from FGV EAESP in Brazil. This second PhD reflects my commitment to internationalizing my academic career, expanding my methodological training, and developing a research agenda that bridges global strategy and social impact.