Srikant Datar Named As Dean Of Harvard Business School

Srikant Datar, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, will become the School's next dean and will take charge on January 1, 2021. Datar joined the Harvard Business School as a faculty in 1996.

India born Datar is the 11th Dean in the prestigious Harvard Business School's 112-year history. He succeeds in Nitin Nohria, who plans to conclude his deanship at end of June this year after 10 years of service but agreed to continue through this December in view of the pandemic.

A gold medallist from IIM Ahmedabad and a CA, Datar holds two master's degrees in Statistics (1983) and economics (1984) and a doctorate in business (1985)--all from Stanford University.

Datar has spoken and written widely on the future of business education, and his academic interests include data science, artificial intelligence, design thinking, innovative problem solving, cost management, and strategy implementation.

"Srikant Datar is an innovative educator, a distinguished scholar, and a deeply experienced academic leader", said Harvard University President Larry Bacow in announcing the appointment. "Datar played an essential role in HBS's creative response to the challenges posed by the pandemic.” said Bascow.