Srikant Datar, will become the second consecutive dean hailing from India to lead the prestigious 112-year-old institution. Datar will begin his service on January 1, 2021.
Since joining the faculty in 1996, Datar has held a series of key positions, as the School’s senior associate dean responsible for faculty recruiting, faculty development, executive education, research, and currently for University affairs.
“I am equal measures humbled and honored to take on this role,” said Datar. “Harvard Business School is an institution with a remarkable legacy of impact in research, education, and practice. Yet the events of the past year have hastened our passage to an unforeseen future. I look forward to working with colleagues and friends of the School — including throughout Harvard, in our Boston community, and around the world — to realize our mission in what undoubtedly will be an exciting new era.”
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Datar will become the 11th dean in the Business School’s 112-year history. He will succeed Nitin Nohria, who last November announced his plans to conclude his deanship at the end of June 2020. Datar received his bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from the University of Bombay in 1973. A chartered accountant, he went on to receive a postgraduate diploma in business management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, before completing a master’s degrees in statistics (1983) and economics (1984) and a PhD in business (1985), all from Stanford University.
