Pioneer of International Research in Communication Management: Ansgar Zerfass Turns 60

Press release on October 5th, 2025, Leipzig

Dr. Ansgar Zerfass, Professor of Strategic Communi-cation at Leipzig University in Germany, will celebrate his 60th birthday on October 11, 2025. Through his extensive contributions to research, teaching, and knowledge transfer, he is regarded as one of the most influential scholars in the field of corporate communications – both nationally and internationally.

For more than 30 years, Professor Zerfass has been dedicated to the study of strategic communication. He has played a key role in advancing the internationalization of the discipline as well as the professionalization of the communications and public relations industry. On his milestone birthday, Leipzig University, the Günter-Thiele-Foundation for Communication & Management, and the Academic Society for Management & Communication warmly congratulate Germany’s most internationally renowned researcher in this field and honor his outstanding achievements.

“Professor Zerfass exemplifies the combination of academic excellence and societal relevance. His commitment to knowledge transfer and his international reach strengthen research in communication management and strategic communication, while also enhancing Leipzig University’s profile as a research-driven and globally connected institution,” said Professor Dr. Eva Inés Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University.

As co-founder and long-serving board member of both the Günter Thiele Foundation and the Academic Society for Management & Communication, Ansgar Zerfaß has initiated numerous projects at the interface of academia and practice – always with the goal of bridging the two worlds and fostering knowledge exchange.

“With an inspiring vision, academic excellence, and a keen understanding of corporate realities, Ansgar Zerfass has created a platform with the Academic Society that connects research and practice on equal footing. His contribution to strategic communication research is internationally pioneering – and an invaluable asset for everyone who views communication as a fundamental leadership task,” said Professor Dr. Christof Ehrhart, Chairman of the Günter-Thiele-Foundation and Executive Vice President Corporate Communications and Governmental Affairs at Robert Bosch GmbH.

About Professor Dr. Ansgar Zerfass

Born in 1965 in Solingen, Germany, Ansgar Zerfass studied business administration, communication science, and information systems at FAU University Erlangen-Nuremberg after completing his secondary education and military service. He earned his doctorate in business administration in 1995.
After ten years in senior management and corporate communications roles at a company in Baden-Württemberg, he completed his habilitation (postdoctoral qualification) in communication science in 2005 at FAU University Erlangen Nuremberg. In 2006, he was appointed as a full professor in communication management by Leipzig University, where he has held the Chair of Strategic Communication since 2014. He has declined several calls to other universities in Europe and the United States.

Key Achievements and Milestones

• Innovations in Research: Professor Zerfass has consistently anticipated emerging topics and brought them into academic and professional discourse – many of which are now central to the field. His contributions include research on integrated corporate communication, innovation communication, communication controlling, and value creation, as well as management tools in communication, benchmarking, SME communication, and, most recently, CommTech, AI, and digital transformation.
• International Recognition: According to Google Scholar, Ansgar Zerfass is the world’s most frequently cited researcher in his field (h-index 72). He has published 44 books, including numerous standard works and handbooks in multiple languages, as well as over 450 articles and research reports. His work has been recognized with over 30 best paper awards and personal honors in Europe and the United States.
• Building Networks Across Academia and Practice: Through global collaborations with universities in his long-term research programs such as the Global/European Communication Monitor, leadership roles in the International Communication Association (ICA) and the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), and as Editor of the International Journal of Strategic Communication (USA), Professor Zerfass has profoundly shaped the development of the discipline. He has also significantly advanced knowledge transfer between academia and professional practice as co-founder of the Academic Society for Management & Communication – Europe’s leading think tank for corporate communications.
• Excellence in Education and Mentoring: At Leipzig University, he leads the master’s program in Communication Management, recognized as Germany’s top academic program in the field. His PhD candidates and master’s students have repeatedly received awards for the best dissertations and theses in Germany, Europe, and worldwide – further strengthening Leipzig University’s reputation as a leading research institution. Many of his former team members now hold professorships or senior leadership positions in business and society.