London Business School announced the appointment of its ninth dean on July 25, 2016.
François Ortalo-Magné will become the first non-British European to hold the position in the school’s history. His appointment will be made official when he assumes the deanship in August of 2017.
Ortalo-Magné will succeed Sir Andrew Likierman, who has held the position since 2008. Likierman will continue to teach at LBS. Likierman said, “The rest of my colleagues and I will give him [Ortalo- Magné’s] a warm welcome when he joins next summer.”
Founded in 1965, London Business School is a relatively young institution, Ortalo-Magné intends to usher in a new era of growth as the school continues into the future.
“[LBS] has achieved so much in its short 50 year history and I’m excited by the prospect of leading the School to even greater success as it embarks on its next 50 years,” he said.
Prior to becoming a professor at the University of Wisconsin Business School, and later its dean, Ortalo-Magné began his career as a lecturer at the London School of Economics. At Wisconsin, he taught in the department of Real Estate and Urban Economics. He has used his extensive knowledge of policy and urban growth in his service as an advisor to the French government on housing and land development.
The chair of LBS’ governing body, Apruv Bagri, said of Ortalo-Magné, “We are thrilled that François will be joining us next year… In his time at Wisconsin he has grown and strengthened [the] faculty, raised substantial funds, improved the student experience and enhanced the organization’s brand.”