Edward Cunningham is the Director of Ash Center China Programs and of the Asia Energy and Sustainability Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer of Public Policy. His teaching, research, and writing focus on the intersection of corporate strategy and government policy, especially as these shape energy markets, the environment, competitiveness, and foreign investment. Concentrating largely on the political economy of Asia and China's role in the global economy, he first lived in China in 1992 and speaks Mandarin and Italian.
Beyond the classroom, Cunningham advises private and publicly listed companies in the energy, environmental, technology, and financial services sectors, helping leaders navigate geopolitical landscapes and develop strategies for the evolving Asia market.
Cunningham was selected as a Fulbright Fellow to the P.R.C., during which time he conducted his doctoral fieldwork as a visiting fellow at Tsinghua University. His work has appeared in media such as The New York Times, The Financial Times, The New Yorker, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Bloomberg. He graduated from Georgetown University, received an A.M. from Harvard University, and holds a Ph.D. from M.I.T. in political science.