Denis Simon

Denis Simon is an American professor and academic administrator. He serves as a distinguished fellow at the Institute for China-American Studies (ICAS).

Simon was previously the Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University in China from 2015-2020, replacing Mary Brown Bullock.

A scholar of China, Simon has experience in the business and technology strategy fields. He previously served at the Duke Fuqua School of Business as a Professor of China Business and Technology, and Senior Adviser to the President for China Affairs.

At Duke Kunshan University, Simon oversaw the recruitment of the inaugural undergraduate class, campus construction, and faculty development.

In 2021, Simon was named executive director of the Center for Innovation Policy at Duke Law School.

In August 2023, Simon resigned from his position at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, citing the increasingly challenging environment surrounding academic engagement with China.

Selected works

 * Innovation in China: Challenging the Global Science and Technology System (Polity, 2018) (Co-authored with R. Appelbaum, CAO Cong, HAN Xueying)


 * China's Emerging Technological Edge: Assessing the Role of High-End Talent (Cambridge University Press,2009) (co-author CAO Cong)


 * After Tiananmen: What Is the Future for Foreign Business in China? California Management Review, 1990

Awards and honors

 * The People's Republic of China Friendship Award