He received his master's degree at the University of Chicagoand his PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in economics. He did postdoctoral work in mathematics at Harvard University and in behavioral science at the University of Chicago.

Professor Kotler's book, Marketing Management, is the world's most widely used graduate level textbook in marketing. His other textbooks include Principles of Marketing and Marketing: An Introduction and they are also widely used in the world.

Kotler developed new concepts in marketing including demarketing, megamarketing, turbomarketing and synchromarketing.He believes that marketing theory needs to go beyond price theory and incorporate the dynamics of innovation, distribution and promotion systems into analyzing, explaining and predicting economic outcomes.

Kotler has been consulted by many large companies, including IBM, Michelin, Bank of America, Merck, General Electric, Honeywell, Samsung, Coca cola, Hyundai and Motorola ... in the areas of marketing strategy, planning and organization, and international marketing.

He presents seminars in major international cities and countrys around the world on the latest marketing developments to companies and other organizations.