Michael Frese

Michael Frese is a German psychologist specializing in work and organizational psychology, organizational behavior, and entrepreneurship research. He is Distinguished Professor and Faculty Chair at the Asia School of Business and holds a professorship at Leuphana University of Lüneburg. Frese's research has addressed stress at work, error management in organizations, personal initiative and proactive behavior, innovation and leadership, and the psychology of entrepreneurship.

Education and career Frese completed his Master of Science degree in psychology at the Free University of Berlin. After his studies, he worked as a scientific assistant at the chair for educational and social sciences at the Technical University of Berlin, where he received his doctorate in 1978. From 2009 to 2020, he was affiliated with the Business School at the National University of Singapore, where he served as Head of Department and was appointed to the Provost’s Chair in 2016.

In 2020, while still serving as a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore, Frese took up a position as professor of management and entrepreneurship at the Asia School of Business. In 2025, he was appointed Distinguished Professor and Faculty Chair

Awards and honors Frese served as president of the International Association of Applied Psychology from 2002 to 2006.

In 2013, Frese was elected a fellow of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He was subsequently elected a fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology in 2014, the Academy of Management (2014), and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Awards Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2015) Dedication to Entrepreneurship Award, Academy of Management (2016) Joyce and Robert Hogan Award for Personality and Work Performance, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2016, 2023) Lifetime Achievement Award, Academy of Management (2021) Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research (2024)