Niklas Modig is a leading authority in Lean and Operational Excellence, recognized globally as a pioneer in Flow Thinking. During his career, he has trained hundreds of top management teams and delivered over 1,000 keynote speeches across 40 countries, inspiring organizations worldwide.
Niklas began his Lean journey as a researcher at the Center for Innovation and Operations Management at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he served from 2003 to 2018. Fluent in Japanese, he spent extended periods in Japan and was a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo's Manufacturing Management Research Center from 2006 to 2008. There, he worked closely with Professor Takahiro Fujimoto, an important Toyota scholar, gaining unique insights into Toyota's high-performance service systems. Niklas is the first and only foreign researcher granted such in-depth access to Toyota's operations, spending thousands of hours within the company to understand the essence of its philosophy.
As the author of This Is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradox, Niklas introduced the groundbreaking concept of flow efficiency, distinguishing it from resource efficiency and advocating for streamlined, end-to-end processes. The book has sold over 350,000 copies in twenty languages, making it one of the best-selling Lean books of all time.
Currently, as Founder and CEO of Hups, Niklas continues to drive impactful transformations and mentor top management on Lean and Operational Excellence. He frequently speaks at global organizations such as Airbus, Holmen, H&M, and Volvo, sharing his vision for self-improving organizations capable of achieving sustainable excellence.
Vad är Lean?: En guide till kundfokus och flödeseffektivitet