Mike Hatrick, Vice President for IP Strategy & Portfolio at Volvo Group, has been appointed Adjunct Senior Lecturer with focus on Intellectual Property (IP) strategy at Chalmers University of Technology.
This appointment marks an important step in strengthening the long-standing collaboration between Volvo Group and Chalmers, particularly in the strategically important domain of IP strategy and innovation management. It also aligns closely with the development of new master’s-level education at Chalmers, where deeper specialization and stronger industrial connection are key guiding principles.
The part-time appointment, effective 2025 to 2028, is hosted by the Division of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Department of Technology Management and Economics.
Hatrick brings more than 30 years of international experience at the intersection of engineering, innovation, and IP. Since 2018, he has led Volvo Group’s global IP strategy, aligning the company’s innovation, IP, and patent activities with key business priorities such as electrification and sustainability. His work has contributed to a significant shift toward carbon-neutral technologies in the group’s IP portfolio.
As Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Hatrick will contribute to education in innovation and IP strategy at Chalmers. He will play a central role in shaping a new advanced-level course in IP strategy, designed to give students the tools to navigate and lead IP-intensive innovation processes in complex industrial settings. The collaboration will also help ensure that the educational offerings at Chalmers remain tightly connected to current practice and industrial relevance.
"Mike's appointment is a timely and important step for us. With new master’s programs under development, we are investing in deeper specialization and more systematic collaboration with industry. His experience and insight will be invaluable for our students, and his presence further bridges theory and practice in a fast-evolving field. I look forward to developing our collaboration in both research and teaching."
— Marcus Holgersson, Professor of Industrial Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology
"I am truly honored to be embarking on this exciting engagement. It is a great opportunity to contribute to the education of students, specifically in real-life application of IP strategic thinking, in order to help prepare them for roles working with innovation in today’s transforming technologies and industries. Creating a bridge between theory and reality in order to generate real results and impact is a passion of mine, and as such I hope to also further my own thinking by way of this collaboration."
— Michael Hatrick, Vice President, IP Strategy & Portfolio, Volvo Group
"We see this appointment as an investment in both long-term competence and innovation capability. By supporting Mike’s engagement at Chalmers, we strengthen not only Volvo Group’s connection to academic research and talent development, but also Sweden’s innovation ecosystem more broadly."
— Lars Stenqvist, Senior Advisor, Volvo Group
- Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Technology Management and Economics
- Professor, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Technology Management and Economics