A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

DEANS COUNSEL

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

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EPISODE 08: Peter Rodriguez (Rice) on Launching Large Scale Programs	

On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and David Ikenberry speak with Peter Rodriguez, Dean and Professor of Strategic Management at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University.

Under Peter's leadership since 2016, the Jones school has seen doubled MBA enrollment, a 35% increase in tenured faculty numbers, and the launch of an undergraduate Business major, among many other successful initiatives. 

In his conversation with Jim and Dave, we hear Pete's views and experience on a number of topics including: 
	
• Planning for up-front services and associated costs 
• Mobilizing political support 
• The power of conviction 
• Dealing with cultural shifts in student dynamics  
• Planning for down-stream challenges  

Learn more about Peter Rodriguez: https://business.rice.edu/person/peter-rodriguez

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

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Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

High Fives (full w/brass)

08: Peter Rodriguez (Rice) on Launching Large Scale Programs

On this episode of Deans Counsel, we've got all three of our moderators -- Jim Ellis, Dave Ikenberry, and Ken Kring -- onboard to speak with Umaimah Mendhro, Founder and President of One League, an organization empowering highly promising, underserved changemakers to realize global impact. Partnering with Stanford, Harvard and MIT as well as global industry leaders, One League is focused on bringing world class education to a highly engaged and academically accomplished set of students who, because of location and economic or social status, are unable to access top graduate-level business education.

Less than 3% of the students at top schools come from the bottom income quartile. As such, tremendous talent is left behind. By making graduate-level education accessible to these typically marginalized groups, One League is truly a disruptive force for good on today's higher education landscape.

This unique episode touches on numerous topics, including:

•modular and online education
•corporate relations and philanthropy 
•recruiting and mentoring
•Umaimah's advice to other deans

Learn more about Umaimah Mendhro: https://blog.one-league.org/home/

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

65: Umaimah Mendhro (One League) on Disrupting MBA Education

On this episode of Deans Counsel, Jim Ellis and Ken Kring speak with Gerry Sanders, Dean of UNLV's Lee Business School. In perhaps our most riveting discussion to date, Gerry walks us through his experience during an active shooter incident targeting Lee, and the confusing aftermath.

In addition to feeling firsthand the myriad emotions that arise during and in the wake of this all-too-common, uniquely American occurrence, Gerry received a crash course in university-level crisis communications -- a complicated experience full of hard-earned lessons to say the least.

You'll come away from this episode with some fascinating and instructive insights, including:

•some basic protocols to have in place in the event that the unthinkable comes to your campus
•addressing the need (and prioritizing the response) for information coming from multiple sources (campus, media, personal)
•the cultural shifts that take place following a traumatic event
•managing the communication conflicts between campus and the public

Learn more about Gerry Sanders: https://www.unlv.edu/people/gerry-sanders

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

66: Gerry Sanders (UNLV) on Crisis Communications in an Active Shooter Situation

On this episode of Deans Counsel, Jim Ellis and Ken Kring speak with Blair Sheppard, Special Advisor to Duke Kunshan University, and previously Dean of Duke's Fuqua School of Business. Blair is responsible for directing all of Duke Kunshan's fundraising, corporate development, non-degree program development and regional development for the newly formed campus in China.

From 2012-2024, Blair served as Global Leader for Strategy and Leadership at PwC, where he focused on building resilient strategies and leadership for PwC worldwide, and further sharpened his ability to see further into the future than most of the rest of us.

In this episode, we hear very compelling observations from Blair about four key mega-trends --  climate, technology, global forces and aging -- that he feels will fundamentally reshape every aspect of society (including business, of course). 

With us, he shares some insight into how business schools, through their research and teaching, must soon lean into these abrupt changes in societal needs. In so doing, he also lends advice as to how we as leaders should go about the change process of taking faculty through this difficult process, touching on topics such as:

- Why some long-held assumptions are no longer holding
- Our rapidly changing world's impact on curriculum
- Rethinking the teaching of strategy
- How Ai will shape demand for the MBA

Learn more about Blair Sheppard: https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/faculty/blair-sheppard

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

67: Blair Sheppard (Duke) on What's Next in Higher Academia

On this episode of Deans Counsel, Jim Ellis, Dave Ikenberry and Ken Kring speak with John Evans, Dean of the VinUniversity College of Business and Management in Hanoi, Vietnam. Prior to joining VinUni, Professor Evans was the Pro Vice Chancellor and President of Curtin University Dubai campus.

John has held numerous senior leadership roles in Higher Education and has extensive senior academic international experience. He is also an active researcher and publishes and teaches mainly in the fields of Corporate Governance, Financial Control and Financial Accounting. He is a Fellow of the CPA and holds a PhD from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign).

Founded in 2020, VinUni is a private, not-for-profit university that has built strategic collaborations with Cornell and Penn, and represents an emerging trend of "startup" business schools. At only five years old -- and with the business school being a year younger -- VinUni faces a unique set of challenges, far different from the many legacy schools with far more history and experience than VinUni.

In this wide-ranging conversation, John walks our hosts through his experience thus far, discussing such topics as:
- attracting top talent
- establishing VinUni as a research as well as teaching institution
- developing key programs in collaboration with Cornell and Penn
- how the university's startup nature differs from administration and systems creation at legacy schools

Learn more about John Evans: hhttps://vinuni.edu.vn/people/prof-john-evans/

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

68: John Evans (VinUniversity) on Leading a Business School Startup

On this episode of Deans Counsel, Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Bernard "Bernie" Banks, Director of Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders (and a Clinical Professor of Management within the University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business).  The mission of the Doerr Institute “…is to elevate the leadership capacity of Rice students and to improve the practice of leader development in higher education.”  

Most recently, Bernie served on the faculty and senior leadership team at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management from 2016-2024 prior to arriving at Rice.

Bernie retired from the U.S. Army in 2016 as a Brigadier General after having successfully led West Point’s Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership in his final assignment.  In addition to having studied leadership extensively, he has led multiple military units ranging in size from 10 to over 3000 people.  

In this instructive conversation, Bernie relates to our hosts some of the experiences he's gleaned through his decades as an inspiring leader, touching on topics such as:

- his objectives as Director of the Doerr Institute
- how he measures effectiveness
- acquainting students with the leadership mindset
- creative approaches to leadership development

Learn more about Bernie Banks: https://doerr.rice.edu/people/rice-staff/bernie-banks

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

69: Bernie Banks (Rice) on Leadership Development at Large Scale

On this episode of Deans Counsel, Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Avijit Ghosh, Dean Emeritus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business. He also served as vice president/chief financial officer and comptroller for the University of Illinois System since 2018. Dr. Ghosh's Research and teaching interests are in the area of retail and marketing strategy and sales forecasting. His reas of specialization include locational analysis, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and marketing strategy.

In this perhaps provocative conversation, Avijit lends his insights into to the state of higher education today, and expounds on such topics as:

- the value proposition: delivering on the promise of higher education
- the cost of higher education as a barrier to accessibility
- delivering multiple avenues for education (not just undergraduate)
- tech transfer
- his perspectives on today's political environment

Learn more about Avijit Ghosh: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/profile/avijit-ghosh

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

--

DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

70: Avijit Ghosh (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) with Strategic Insight into Higher Education Today

On this episode of Deans Counsel, hosts Ken Kring and Dave Ikenberry speak with Todd Milbourn, the newly-installed 10th Dean of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. He holds the Tolleson Chair in Business Leadership and the Andrew W. Chen Endowed Chair in Financial Investments. An experienced and visionary academic leader, Todd is dedicated to advancing teaching and research, supporting top academic talent, and engaging the business community to help prepare the next generation of business leaders for the opportunities ahead. 

Milbourn came to SMU from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was the Hubert C. and Dorothy R. Moog Professor of Finance. In his 25 years at Washington University, Milbourn recruited leading faculty from top universities, expanded the Ph.D. program, led the rollout of several specialized master’s programs and facilitated the establishment of four new research centers. In his most recent role as deputy dean, he helped lead the school’s strategic efforts to align with the broader university’s strategic plan and increase engagement with the St. Louis business community. 

In this episode, Todd talks about his experiences in over a quarter century in academia, and his impressions of his new role, less than 100 days into the job (as of this interview date). Subjects discussed include:

- why he made this move to Deaning
- his approach to onboarding
- Todd's strategic planning proces
- what he learned on his "Listening Tour"
- how to construct a leadership team

Learn more about Todd Milbourn: https://www.smu.edu/cox/academics/faculty/todd-milbourn

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

71: Todd Milbourn (SMU) on Approaching a First Deanship

On this episode of Deans Counsel, hosts Ken Kring and Jim Ellis speak with Oliver Yao, Dean of the University of Delaware's Lerner College of Business and Economics, a role he took on in August 2023.

Oliver Yao’s research interests are in the inter-disciplinary fields of information systems and supply chain management, including business value of IT-enabled supply chains, economics of electronic and mobile commerce, bullwhip effect and VMI, CPFR and CRM. His publications have appeared in Management Science, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Marketing Science, Operations Research, Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, among others.

In an interview that moves almost as quickly as Oliver does, he shares with our hosts his thoughts and experiences regarding:

- the overwhelm and challenges he faced early on in his role at Lerner
- his approach to setting priorities - especially in the face of financial constraints
- how Oliver's background in information systems influences his strategic planning
- philanthropy and how he learned to embrace it - quickly

Learn more about Oliver Yao: https://lerner.udel.edu/faculty-staff-directory/oliver-yao/

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

--

DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

72: Oliver Yao (Delaware) on Leading at a Fast Pace

This episode of Deans Counsel is the first of three featuring special guest host, Alex Triantis, Dean of the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, and a previous guest (on Episode 16) of the podcast. Alex and co-host Ken Kring speak with Lee Newman, Dean of Instituto de Impresa (IE) Business School and a professor of Behavioral Science and Leadership at IE University in Madrid, Spain.

After years of experience as a consultant and technology entrepreneur, following his MBA and Masters in Technology and Policy from MIT, Lee returned to school in 2009 to get his PhD from the University of Michigan. His interdisciplinary PhD combined the fields of cognitive psychology and computer science, focusing on AI and cognitive neuroscience while those fields were still in their infancy. Soon after launching his professorial career at IE, he was asked to lead a new School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, which later morphed into the School of Human Science and Technology. After 11 years of leading those two schools, he was selected to lead IE Business School in 2021, at a university founded by entrepreneurs. 

In this informative episode, Lee: 

-reflects on why innovation is now so critical for business education, particularly in the age of AI
-explains why it's important for a business school to be market-centric
-describes why a focus on competency-based learning will transform how business is taught in the future
-spells out how business must mix with other disciplines to better foster the skill of strategic foresight

Learn more about Lee Newman: https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/lee-newman/

Learn more about our special guest host, Alex Triantis: https://carey.jhu.edu/about/leadership/alexander-triantis

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

--

DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com

73: Lee Newman (Instituto de Empresa - IE) on Driving Innovation

This episode of Deans Counsel is the second of three featuring special guest host, Alex Triantis, Dean of the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, and a previous guest (on Episode 16) of the podcast. Alex and co-host Jim Ellis speak with Francisco Veloso, Dean of INSEAD, The Business School for the World.

Professor Veloso joined INSEAD from Imperial College Business School, where he served as Dean from 2017 to 2023. Previously, he was the Dean at Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics in Portugal.

Professor Veloso is a leading authority in entrepreneurship and innovation and his expertise is recognized by government and policy makers. He previously acted as an advisor on innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial development to both the Portuguese Government and to European Commissioner Carlos Moedas. He is also a trusted advisor and Board Member to several startups and established firms. 

In this internationally-focused conversation, Veloso talks about the first two years of his experience managing a truly global business school with campuses in Europe, Asia, Middle East and the US. Some of the highlights include:

-changes in international student flow during this period of protectionism
-investment in career services
-managing faculty -- and his time -- across multiple international locations
-Francisco's advice for deans

Learn more about Francisco Veloso: https://www.insead.edu/about-insead/meet-the-dean

Learn more about our special guest host, Alex Triantis: https://carey.jhu.edu/about/leadership/alexander-triantis

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at feedback@deanscounsel.com

Thanks for listening.

-
Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com