John Quelch, the Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS) has been appointed dean of the University of Miami School of Business Administration and vice provost for executive education, overseeing customized training and development programs for executives and managers. Quelch, an internationally recognized scholar on the marketing implications of globalization, with a particular focus on patient centricity and consumer empowerment in the health care sector, will assume his new role at UM on July 1.
“Dr. Quelch is a renowned scholar on globalization and a proven academic leader internationally. He is a great addition to our senior team and is poised to take the School of Business Administration to its next level of excellence. I am thrilled to welcome him,” said UM President Julio Frenk.
A former dean of two prestigious international business schools, Quelch is also a professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health—the first ever to hold dual primary appointments in those two schools and one of only a few faculty across Harvard University with this distinction.
“I am both honored and delighted to be joining the University of Miami community and very much look forward to serving on President Frenk’s team in my dual role as dean of the School of Business Administration and vice provost for executive education,” said Quelch.
Quelch served as dean, vice president and distinguished professor of international management of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) from 2011 to 2013. Under his leadership, annual revenues increased by more than 25 percent to over $100 million; the school’s M.B.A. global ranking in The Financial Times improved from 24 to 15 and the Executive M.B.A. ranking from 18 to 7; and programs were launched to integrate faculty and staff activities at the three CEIBS campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen as well as the CEIBS campus in Ghana.
From 1998 to 2001, Quelch served as dean of the London Business School, where, among other accomplishments, he helped to transform the school into a globally competitive institution and launched seed capital funds to invest in student and alumni start-ups.
In 1979, Quelch initially joined HBS, holding a number of positions over the years, including Sebastian S. Kresge Professor of Marketing, co-chair of the Marketing Department and Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration. He served as senior associate dean of HBS from 2001 to 2010.
Quelch is the author, co-author, or editor of 25 books, as well as numerous business case studies on leading international organizations. He also is known for his teaching materials and innovations in pedagogy; over the past 35 years, his case studies have sold more than 4 million copies.
During the past 30 years, Quelch has served on numerous corporate boards. He has also served on boards of nonprofit organizations and public agencies, including as chairman of the Massachusetts Port Authority.
He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford University (B.A. and M.A.), the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (M.B.A.), the Harvard School of Public Health (M.S.), and Harvard Business School (D.B.A.). In addition to the United Kingdom and the U.S., he has lived in Australia, Canada, and China. Quelch was born in London and became a U.S. citizen in 1991. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011, and in 2017 was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
For the past year Anuj Mehrotra, professor of management science, has served as interim dean of the school. “I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Anuj Mehrotra for serving as interim dean during the past year,” said President Frenk. “His dedication to the University and outstanding service to the school are exceptional.”
Steven Altschuler, executive vice president for health affairs and CEO of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, who chaired the 13-member search committee, said, “There were many outstanding candidates for this post. Dr. Quelch’s unique experience, exemplary qualifications, and vision earned him the strong support of the committee.”
