Sambamurthy selected as Wisconsin School of Business dean

Vallabh Sambamurthy, Eli Broad Professor and associate dean of the MBA and professional master’s programs at the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, has been selected as the Albert O. Nicholas Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business.

He is scheduled to begin Aug. 1 at UW–Madison and will succeed Barry Gerhart, a professor of management and human resources, who has served as interim dean since February 2018.

Sambamurthy has previously served at business schools at the University of Maryland and Florida State University. His experience includes faculty recruitment, retention and development, strategic planning and alumni engagement. He is a leading global expert on how firms compete in the digital economy and co-authored “Guiding the Digital Business Transformations: An Executive Agenda.”

“Vallabh has a wide range of experience in higher education, working with students, faculty, staff and alumni,” says Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf. “I have greatly enjoyed getting to know him through the interview and hiring process. We are thrilled to welcome such an innovative scholar and thoughtful leader as the next dean of the Wisconsin School of Business.”

“I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the key stakeholders in enhancing the portfolio of degrees, certificates and lifelong learning opportunities for undergraduate, master’s and executive programs,” Sambamurthy says. “I believe we can position the Wisconsin School of Business as an exemplary hub of lifelong learning, delivering skills that address the evolving needs of the global digital economy.”

Sambamurthy’s experience includes faculty recruitment, retention and development, strategic planning and alumni engagement. He is a leading global expert on how firms compete in the digital economy.

“The faculty and doctoral students have well-earned reputations for research excellence, he adds. “I look forward to strengthening academic research in addition to nurturing corporate partnerships that enable us to connect research to practice.

“I am excited to energize the school’s high-performance culture with a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and ethical leadership.”

Sambamurthy received his doctorate from Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, a master’s in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta, India, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Tiruchirappalli, India.

His honors include the William Beal Distinguished Faculty Award, the highest honor accorded by Michigan State University; Distinguished Alumnus of the National Institute of Technology; and the LEO Lifetime Achievement award from the Association for Information Systems, an honor given for contributions to teaching, research, outreach and mentoring.

Founded in 1900, the Wisconsin School of Business established one of the first five business programs in the nation. The Albert O. Nicholas Dean serves as the chief academic and executive officer, with responsibility for faculty and staff development, personnel oversight, fundraising, budget planning and management, curriculum, and student academic affairs.

More information about Sambamurthy is available at wsb.wisc.edu.