Consultants
Full-Spectrum Leadership
Tjai M. Nielsen, Ph.D.
Senior Partner
Greensboro N.C. USA
Get in TouchTjai M. Nielsen is a Senior Partner in Global Leadership Advisory at WittKieffer. In this role, he advises private equity firms, venture capital investors, and Fortune 500 senior executives on critical leadership challenges, including CEO succession, M&A, talent assessment and development, and organizational performance optimization. He has extensive experience working with investors across various sectors, both pre- and post-transaction and was recently recognized with a Top 25 Private Equity Consultants and Leaders Award.
Before joining WittKieffer, Tjai was a Senior Principal at a premier consulting firm, where he earned a 97% average client satisfaction rating. He built trusted advisor relationships with numerous private equity leaders and portfolio company CEOs, coached C-suite executives from Fortune 125 companies, and was an invited speaker at venues such as MIT, Harvard Business School, and the United Nations.
Earlier in his career, Tjai founded and served as Managing Director of a leadership consultancy focused on creating cultures of trust, accountability, and sustainable excellence. He also worked with a leading consulting firm specializing in executive assessment, leader development, and senior team dynamics, partnering with organizations ranging from large corporations to the United States Congress across more than 20 countries in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.
Along with his consulting career, Tjai spent over 10 years as an academic, primarily at George Washington University’s School of Business, where he served as Director of Executive Education, Dean’s Research Scholar, and Professor of Management. His teaching and research on senior team performance, leadership development, and international investment strategies garnered multiple awards, including the university’s top teaching award, the business school’s top research award, and an invitation to join a United Nations Expert Group. He has authored over 55 refereed research articles, book chapters, and technical reports, and has delivered more than 85 invited talks and conference presentations.
Tjai holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, an M.A. in Health & Human Performance, and a B.S. in Psychology. He resides in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife and three children.
Distinctions
Bender Teaching Award, George Washington University
Dean's Research Scholar Award, George Washington University School of Business
Faculty Excellence Award, George Washington University School of Business
Best Reviewer Awards, Journal of Organizational Behavior
Certifications: Hogan Assessments, Facet5 Personality Profile, MBTI, Leadership Versatility Index
Education
Ph.D., Industrial & Organizational Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
M.A., Health & Human Performance, University of North Carolina
B.S., Psychology, Virginia Tech