Officials named a new dean for the GW School of Business Thursday after the role had been vacant for one year, according to a University release.
Sevin Yeltekin, currently the dean of the Simon Business School and Frontier Professor of Business Administration at the University of Rochester, will take over as head of the school and serve as a professor of finance beginning August 1, according to the release. Vanessa Perry, vice dean for strategy and a professor of marketing, strategic management and public policy, has served as interim dean since last January after the departure of former Dean Anuj Mehrotra.
“The School of Business is uniquely positioned, with its deep relationships with many institutions across the nation’s capital, to make a positive impact as a convener and nurturer of global talent, ideas and business leadership,” Yeltekin said in the release.
As dean of the University of Rochester’s business school, Yeltekin led the development of the school’s 2025 strategic plan, created new degree programs and launched initiatives for artificial intelligence and collaborated with other University of Rochester academic schools on interdisciplinary programs. She previously served as an assistant dean and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and as a faculty member at Northwestern University, according to the release.
University President Ellen Granberg said in the release that Yeltekin’s career accomplishments and strategic planning experience bring a “bold vision” for innovation and collaboration in business education and research.
Granberg said during a Faculty Senate meeting last month that she expects the University’s strategic plan to be finished by the middle of the year. She said the Innovation Committee, tasked with collecting information from the GW community to identify opportunities for growth to include in the strategic plan and drafting a report summarizing their findings for officials, is finishing its work before the process moves forward.
“I look forward to working with Dr. Yeltekin to advance GWSB’s legacy of excellence and impact,” Granberg said in the release.
Granberg said during a Board of Trustees meeting last week that she met with business school faculty two weeks ago and could feel “excitement and anticipation” about the pending announcement.
“I will tell you that no one is more excited than interim Dean Vanessa Perry, who has done a fantastic job of helping us navigate this leadership transition,” Granberg said during the meeting.
University Spokesperson Shannon Mitchell said last month that the school hosted several candidates for the position on campus at the end of the fall semester to meet with “various groups of stakeholders.”
Provost Chris Bracey said in the statement that Yeltekin’s experience leading the University of Rochester’s business school and her qualities of developing academic programs, supporting partnerships, research and fundraising made her an attractive candidate for the position.
“She will bring key insights and wisdom to this role and elevate the next generation of business leaders, and she will be a welcome addition to my senior leadership team,” Bracey said in the release.
Senay Agca, a professor of finance and decision science and the chair of the search committee said Yeltekin’s understanding of academics and business will help to bring a “promising and impactful” future to the school.
“Her commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative environment will strengthen our community, elevate our business school to new levels of excellence and lasting achievement, and contribute to shaping responsible, forward-thinking and resilient business leaders,” Agca said in the release.
