Letter from the Dean

With the fall semester coming to a close, I am grateful for having experienced one last season of Badger football, Homecoming, board meetings, and all of Madison’s great fall traditions. As many of you know, I will begin a new position as dean of London Business School on August 1, 2017. I owe much to the WSB community for the camaraderie, learning, and leadership opportunities I have enjoyed for more than 15 years.

When I became the Albert O. Nicholas Dean, we made a bet together on the future of higher education. With your investments, we chose to leverage the disruption of our industry and pursue new approaches to learning that would differentiate us from our peers. More than five years later, my proudest accomplishment is having established educational innovation as part of the WSB identity.

Our approach to educational innovation has made an impact on our students’ learning, challenging and encouraging them to apply and practice what they learn in real-world environments. As an example of that impact, I hope you enjoy reading about our new partnership with Baird that prepares our students for careers in private wealth management.

The WSB also had an opportunity this fall to reflect on and celebrate national leadership in diversity and inclusion efforts. I hope our commitment to diversity and inclusion will be clear in how we report the 50th anniversary of our partnership to enhance diversity in graduate business education, and a new summer program for high school students.

Your dedication is an immeasurable asset to the WSB. Your support enables us to invest in all of these priorities. You are and will be instrumental in helping move the School forward.

UW–Madison Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf is leading the search for the next dean, with the help of a committee comprised of outstanding faculty, staff, and students. They are well positioned to identify a new leader worthy of serving the WSB community.

I have been humbled and inspired by the dedication of Business Badgers, whose support makes so much difference in everything we do here at the Wisconsin School of Business. In the time that I have left on campus, you can expect my unwavering commitment to advance the School’s impact on the world.

Together Forward,

—François Ortalo-Magné
Albert O. Nicholas Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business