About Neri

I’m Neri Karra Sillaman—a refugee-turned-entrepreneur, academic, and author whose work focuses on the importance of resilience, purpose, and vision in business and in life. 

At the age of 11, I fled my homeland with my family. We had only two suitcases to our name but were carrying much determination. And as we stood among the terrifying chaos at the border, I had a very clear realization that has guided all the rest of my life: I need to get a good education. My subsequent experiences in academia and entrepreneurship have been driven by my desire to learn and share my knowledge. And my journey has shaped my belief that our greatest challenges can fuel our greatest achievements and that vision is the most powerful tool one can have.

All the lessons I have learned from that journey coalesce in my latest book, Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Wiley, 2025), which has been named one of the top 10 best management books of 2025 by Thinkers50. 

Pioneers set out to answer two closely interrelated questions: why are immigrants so successful in business and what lessons can we all learn from that success? The answer is that immigrants ascend because they follow such principles as building cross-cultural bridges, connecting deeply with communities, and consistently prioritizing purpose over profit; approaches that all entrepreneurs can emulate to achieve lasting impact.    

The insights shared in Pioneers come from my research with some of the world’s leading immigrant entrepreneurs and my own experiences as the co-founder of my family’s business: a global luxury leather goods brand that carries my name. Thanks to that work, I have over two decades of practical expertise in navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship, blending creativity, sustainability and strategy to build a lasting legacy.

I hold a PhD in Management Studies from the University of Cambridge and serve as an Entrepreneurship Expert at the University of Oxford. My academic and professional focus lies at the intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and long-term impact. I’ve had the privilege of advising and training leaders and executives and delivering keynote talks at events like the Forbes Sustainability Summit and institutions like Cambridge Judge Business School and Oxford’s Saïd Business School.

In addition to Pioneers, I am the author of the award-winning Fashion Entrepreneurship: Creation of the Global Fashion Business (Routledge, 2021), which has been praised for its detailed analysis of the industry’s history and its practical insights into building resilient contemporary brands. My ideas have been published by Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Fortune, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and other leading platforms. Two of my TEDx talks have been featured on TED.com, inspiring audiences worldwide to embrace resilience, innovation, and purpose.

Named in 2024 on the Thinkers50 Radar list of the 30 most influential up-and-coming management thinkers, I am passionate about helping individuals and organizations create businesses and careers with meaning and longevity. My work is shaped not only by my entrepreneurial and academic journey but also by my lived experience as an immigrant, balancing personal growth with professional achievement.

Whether you’re here to explore my writing, connect for speaking engagements or training, or find inspiration for your own journey, welcome. Together, let’s uncover what it takes to build something that makes a lasting difference to the world.