Professor, Harvard Business School

"I  think Braidy Industries has a tremendous opportunity to make a significant impact on multiple dimensions,” said Dr. Michael E. Porter. “One, as a business, it has a potential to develop a competitive advantage in the aluminum business across the United States – and it is well on its way to establishing that.”

    Braidy will also have a positive influence on Kentucky and Appalachia as a whole, he added. “It’s already happening. It will lead the addition to the economic growth of the region and will be a mass job creator – not just to Braidy, but to all the companies it will attract to the area. It will cause a cluster of jobs – good paying jobs – to the region.”

    Porter is on the board of directors for Braidy Industries. He is an economist, researcher, author, speaker and teacher. Throughout his career at Harvard Business School, he has brought economic theory and strategy concepts to bear on many of the most challenging problems facing corporations, economies and societies. These have included market competition and company strategy, economic development, political competition, the environment, and healthcare.

    He hosted a dinner meeting a few months ago with the board in his office at Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, to discuss the future of Braidy Industries. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and some of his staff attended as guests of the board. “We had an open-minded discussion with candid dialogue about our vision for the state of Kentucky and our vision as a company,” he said. “I was very impressed with the governor’s determination to compete in the country and put his state in a much more competitive place.”

    After being courted by several states, Braidy opted for the Bluegrass. The corporation has formed an alliance with local colleges who will work to develop and train their employees. “The greatest opportunity is in Kentucky,” Porter added. “The state has invested in this company and the governor understood the economy and the conditions to attract business.” Porter brings a wealth of experience to the board of directors.

    His initial training was in aerospace engineering at Princeton University. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Ph.D. in business economics from Harvard’s Department of Economics. His research approach – applying economic theory and competition thinking to complex systemic problems – reflects these foundations. In 2000, Harvard Business School and Harvard University jointly established the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness to provide a home for his research.

    His approach is based on understanding the overall economics and structure of complex systems,         in contrast to particular elements or parts. His research is widely recognized in governments, corporations, and academic circles around the world. The most cited scholar today in the fields of economics and business, he has received numerous awards.

    Porter added he is excited for the potential of this enterprise and the entire region, which borders West Virginia and Ohio. “Customers in America are hungry for this product,” he said. “Not only in the auto industry but in aerospace. There is a real demand and need.”

            Braidy will be able to scale up quickly because it will have the acceptance from the customer community and be more profitable than its competitors due to its lower cost position, Porter said. "We have better technology and higher quality products. We will command a premium for the customer.”