Our leadership

Experience

Dr David E.I. Pyott, CBE, OStJ is Chair of London Business School’s Governing Body.

An LBS alumnus, MSc13 (1980), Dr Pyott has a longstanding relationship with the School. He will succeed the Hon Apurv Bagri, who stands down from the position on 1 May 2023 following 20 years’ service to the Governing Body.

Dr Pyott is a member of the Supervisory Board for Royal Philips, as well as a director on the boards of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Biomarin Pharmaceuticals, Pliant Therapeutics. In addition, he is a trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the California Institute of Technology.

He is also a board director for eight not-for-profit organisations across America, Europe and Africa. He and his wife Molly created the David & Molly Pyott Foundation, which educates ophthalmologists worldwide, supports young people into employment and improves care for disabled individuals.

A member of the Governing Body since 2015, and Deputy Chair since 2018, Dr Pyott passionately believes in the vibrancy of the School’s multinational community of faculty, students, alumni and staff. He will build on the School’s leading position in education of executives and will contribute to the School’s ambition to have a profound impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world.

Dr Pyott, who became a Fellow of London Business School in 2006, received a CBE for services to British business excellence and management skills in the United States in the same year.

Experience

Professor Birkinshaw has a PhD from Western University, Canada. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, Strategic Management Society and the (American) Academy of Management. He has honorary doctorates from Copenhagen Business School and Stockholm School of Economics

Professor Birkinshaw is an internationally-renowned academic who has made important contributions to the research on innovation, digital transformation and agility of large multinational firms. He believes strongly in the practical application of academic knowledge to business issues. He is committed to helping students and alumni of LBS become agents of positive change in the business world.

Career highlight

In 1984, after studying at London Business School, Roger founded First Continental Trading, Inc. (FCT), a multinational proprietary trading firm. He is an experienced investment and risk officer in the investment management industry. He served on the board of NYSE Euronext and its predecessors for 9 years. In addition, in 1988 Roger founded the Carlsson Family Foundation which manages the family’s charitable contributions.

Experience

Roger still enjoys managing and trading in the global market from his headquarters in Singapore and has branched out over the years into multiple other investment areas including fund management

Roger received the Alumni Achievement Award in 2004 and has served as a Governor of the Governing Body of London Business School since 2018. In 2020, he received the Henry A. Wallace Award from Iowa State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, his alma mater.

The Carlsson Family Foundation, has created, among other donations, scholarships for the London Business School that aims to support women candidates of merit and increase the number of young women joining the school.

Career highlight

Professor Chandy holds the Tony and Maureen Wheeler Chair in Entrepreneurship and is a Professor of Marketing at London Business School, where he is also an Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development. He is an independent director on the board of Laurus Labs Limited. Chandy received his PhD from the University of Southern California. In 2018, he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy

Experience

His research and teaching areas include innovation, entrepreneurship, marketing strategy, and emerging markets

He has served as an elected faculty representative on the Governing Body since 2023.

Experience

Dr Ethiraj, originally from India, received his PhD in Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and served on the faculty at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan for over a decade before joining London Business School.

His teaching and research interests span core topics in strategic management including innovation, competitive strategy, and managing human capital.

A member of the Governing Body since 2022, Dr Ethiraj is deeply committed to furthering the research and teaching excellence of faculty at LBS. His primary focus is on designing structures and reward systems to attract and retain the best and diverse research faculty from all over the world.

Career highlight

Mr. Fjeldsoe-Nielsen is a tech entrepreneur turned venture capitalist. Before joining Balderton Capital in London as a General Partner, he spent a decade in Silicon Valley California with Uber and Dropbox. He sits on the boards of Yassir (the Uber of Africa), Labster (online education), Voi (environmental transportation), and Hiya (digital safety). He is a graduate of London Business School (eMBA), University of Oxford (MSc Engineering), and Kings College London (BS Engineering).

Experience

In 2021, Lars founded the venture capital firm 2xN, where he leads investments in European technology entrepreneurs, supporting startups as they scale globally. He is also engaged in pushing forward advancements in tackling Malaria, particularly focused on the African continent.

A member of the LBS Governing Body since 2018, Mr Fjeldsoe Nielsen believes strongly that education, entrepreneurship, and technology are the forces that will drive current and future generations to tackle global challenges

Career highlight

Gonzalo is currently co-head of EMEA Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs. Gonzalo has been at Goldman Sachs since 1999 and has been a partner since 2008. During his tenure at Goldman Sachs Gonzalo has held several positions including Global co-head of Natural Resources Investment Banking and co-Head of Goldman Sachs business in Latin America Gonzalo has a bachelor's degree in Engineering and Computer Science from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and an MBA from the London Business School (class of 1993

Experience

In addition to his managerial responsibilities at Goldman Sachs, Gonzalo continues to advise a number of corporate and institutional clients with a focus on infrastructure, utilities, renewable energy and energy transition.

He and his wife María support a number of charities in the UK and abroad focused on enhancing opportunities for women and protecting children from abuse.

A member of the Governing Body since 2022, and Chairman of Finance Committee 2023.

Gonzalo is a long time believer in the important role education plays on social mobility and improving quality of life. As a leading Business School with its international and diverse student, faculty and staff base, LBS can have a material global impact

Career highlight

An authority on leadership, Thinkers50 ranks Dr Herminia Ibarra among the top management thinkers in the world. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, a judge for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, one of Apolitica’s 100 most influential people in gender policy, a Fellow of the British Academy, and the recipient of the Academy of Management’s Scholar-Practitioner Award for her research’s contribution to management practice.

Experience

Dr Ibarra is the author of best-selling books, Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader and Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. Her recent article, “The Leader as Coach,” won the 2019 Warren Bennis Prize for the best leadership article in the Harvard Business Review. She writes regularly in leading academic journals and business publications including the Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times and speaks internationally on leadership and organizational transformation.

Career highlight

Savio has a medical diagnostic imaging background with GE Medical Systems in Asia. Was China managing director of BTR Group, a UK-based Fortune 500 company and later President and COO of the Alibaba Group during its formative years.

Experience

Savio co-founded A & K Consulting as partner and CEO to help start-ups in China after stepping down from executive duties at Alibaba. He served on the Alibaba.com board as an NED until its privatization in 2011 and is an NED on the board of the Alibaba HK Entrepreneur Fund since 2016 established to support start-ups in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area

A graduate of M.Sc09 (1976) at London Business School and winner of the School’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2011 Savio has kept his connection with the School since graduation. Savio and his wife Rita has supported the Charles Handy Chair and MBA scholarships and other donations through the SARI Foundation in the past.

Moving forward Savio is passionate about walking the life learning journey with the LBS community to continue to make an impact on how business impacts the world

Career highlight

Ms Marrs is the Group President of Global Commercial Services and Credit & Fraud Risk at American Express. She also sits on DocuSign’s Board of Directors. Prior to Amex Ms Marrs has pursued a global career in financial services, leading multiple businesses for Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore and acting as a Partner in McKinsey’s banking practice in London

Experience

Ms Marrs graduated from London Business School’s Executive MBA Program in 2003. She is passionate about the value of an international education and career and is committed to contributing to the School’s distinctive global community as a Member of the Governing Body.

Career highlight

(EMBA 2000) Henry is a Partner and Head of Public and Regulatory Affairs, Helios Investment Partners LLP

Experience

He is a trustee of Prostate Cancer UK, a prostate cancer research, awareness and support organization with the main ambition to create a world where no man dies from prostate cancer.

A member of the Governing Body since 2021, and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Henry has been actively engaged with LBS since graduation and was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award by the LBS Africa Club in 2016. He is passionate to support the school and its diverse community; to continue to develop the next generation of business leaders; and the excellent faculty to publish world class research to enable businesses to adapt to a changing world.

Career highlight

Prior to his current appointment, François Ortalo-Magné was the Albert O. Nicholas Dean and Robert E. Wangard Professor of Real Estate at the Wisconsin School of Business. François holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Minnesota and his first academic appointment was at the London School of Economics. He serves on the board of directors of the Graduate Management Admission Council and on the International Advisory Board of British American Business.

Experience

François Ortalo-Magné’s research on the economics of land and housing markets has been published in leading academic journals and he has advised private, governmental and multilateral organisations around the world.

François Ortalo-Magné is the ninth Dean of London Business School, a position he has held since August 2017. As Chief Executive Officer of the School, he is implementing a plan to fulfil a vision of LBS as an engaged community walking the learning journey together.

Career highlight

Ms. Riley will begin service as the regional head of North America for Banco Santander on October 1, 2023. She previously served as the CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas and a member of Deutsche Bank AG’s Management Board from 2020-2023, culminating a seventeen year career with that institution working in both Frankfurt and New York

Experience

Ms. Riley is active in the broader business and civic community in New York and abroad. She serves on the board of directors of, among other, the Partnership for New York City and Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP)

A graduate of the full-time MBA programme in 2005, Ms. Riley has followed a global career path enabled by her experiences & network from London Business School. She is committed to ensuring a sustainable leading position for LBS in global business education, ensuring generations of students continue to have access to the life-changing global experience which LBS offers.

Experience

François Ortalo-Magné is the ninth Dean of London Business School, a position he has held since August 2017. As Chief Executive Officer of the School, he is implementing a plan to fulfil a vision of LBS as an engaged community walking the learning journey together.

With a faculty recognised for its world-class academic research and a School community rich in diversity, LBS advances careers, transforms organisations and shapes policy. Its London and Dubai campus are at the hub of a prestigious global network inspired by their own stories of life-changing impact

Dean Ortalo-Magné serves on the board of directors of the Graduate Management Admission Council and on the International Advisory Board of BritishAmerican Business. His research on the economics of land and housing markets has been published in leading academic journals and he has advised private, governmental and multilateral organisations around the world.

Prior to his appointment, Ortalo-Magné was the Albert O. Nicholas Dean and Robert E. Wangard Professor of Real Estate at the Wisconsin School of Business. He grew up in France in the Pyrénées and on the family farm in the Lot Valley, before training as an agricultural engineer. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Minnesota and his first academic appointment was at the London School of Economics.

Experience

Professor Birkinshaw has a PhD from Western University, Canada. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, Strategic Management Society and the (American) Academy of Management. He has honorary doctorates from Copenhagen Business School and Stockholm School of Economics

Professor Birkinshaw is an internationally-renowned academic who has made important contributions to the research on innovation, digital transformation and agility of large multinational firms. He believes strongly in the practical application of academic knowledge to business issues. He is committed to helping students and alumni of LBS become agents of positive change in the business world.

Experience

Dr Ethiraj, originally from India, received his PhD in Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and served on the faculty at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan for over a decade before joining London Business School.

His teaching and research interests span core topics in strategic management including innovation, competitive strategy, and managing human capital.

A member of the Governing Body since 2022, Dr Ethiraj is deeply committed to furthering the research and teaching excellence of faculty at LBS. His primary focus is on designing structures and reward systems to attract and retain the best and diverse research faculty from all over the world.

Experience

As the Senior Associate Dean for Innovation and Transformation, Julia is responsible for delivering creative solutions for sustainable impact across the London Business School. This entails using an experimental approach to drive innovation, strengthen operations and support teams across the School to deliver change and improvements that amplify the impact of the School worldwide. 

Her role includes overseeing sustainability activities, initiatives and compliance across the School and shaping further the ways sustainability is at the heart of much of what the School does: world-leading research, sustainability-focused teaching, the work of student clubs such as the Social Impact Club and staff Community Action Group, our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging, and requirements for sustainable practices in the School’s operations, from our partners and suppliers, for example.

Prior to entering the higher education sector, Julia worked in management consulting. She also holds an MBA from London Business School. Before her current innovation and transformation role, she worked with the School as Executive Director of both the Early Career programmes and Leadership programmes, and then as Associate Dean for the Degree Education. Julia has also held high-profile roles at other schools, including as Head of Career Centre at Chicago Booth’s London campus and Executive Director of the TRIUM EMBA at the London School of Economics.

Experience

The School Secretary is responsible for the School’s corporate governance and legal affairs. He is also responsible for corporate planning and for a range of strategic and operational projects. He acts as Secretary to the School’s Governing Body

Experience

Prior to joining LBS, Joyce worked at UCL which she joined as interim CFO in May 2021. She has considerable experience in public sector finance roles after starting her career as a chartered accountant working with the big 4 companies in a range of audit and consultancy roles.

She has subsequently worked for the Civil Service in Northern Ireland, where she held posts in estates, housing, health, social security. Whilst working in the Health Department, she was instrumental in a range of large complex hospital projects for which she developed new financing structures improving affordability and value for money.   As Director of Finance and Commercial Services in the Social Security Agency (SAA), Joyce led the organisation through transformation and modernisation projects, delivering services to around 800,000 customers and managing complex commercial contracts.

Joyce then moved into education, working with Northern Ireland’s largest local authority. Prior to her role at UCL, she worked with the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency developing new strategies, efficiency and business partnering approaches, and advised on proposals to grow the UK Maritime economy and financial products to decarbonise of the maritime sector.    

Experience

Listed as the most transformational and disruptive technology leader in the UK by CIO 100 in 2020 Danny is responsible for helping London Business School realise its digital potential. Accountable for the School’s digital, data, and technology strategy and delivery he is passionate about utilising innovative technology to enrich the lives of our students and alumni through lifelong learning.”

Experience

The Engagement department’s role is to enable LBS to deliver on our purpose - having a profound impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world – by attracting, inspiring and connecting our brilliant academics, students, participants, corporate partners, staff and alumni.

We bring together Advancement, Brand and Marketing and Communications teams serving an LBS community who contribute their advocacy and support to a strong, global network including more than 50,000 alumni.

Martin Fewell worked as a journalist for the BBC and ITN (Channel 4 News) before becoming Director of Communications for the Metropolitan Police in 2012. After five years in that role, and four years leading communications for a sport’s governing body, he joined LBS in November 2021.  

Experience

Professor Savva’s current research focuses on hospital operations and healthcare management. His research has appeared in leading journals such as Management Science, M&SOM, Production & Operations Management, and Nature Biotechnology. He is an Associate Editor of Management Science, M&SOM and senior editor of Production & Operations Management. He holds an honorary appointment at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation trust, a large hospital system based in London, and has acted as a consultant to hospitals, biotech companies, high-tech start-ups, retail firms and a hedge fund. He has also taught at The Wharton School, Columbia GSB, and at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

He holds a PhD in Management Science, an MPhil in Finance (Financial Engineering) and a BA in Physics, all from the University of Cambridge.

Experience

Professor Donal Crilly’s research interests include stakeholder theory, managerial cognition, and intertemporal choice. His work has been published in journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, the Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, and the Journal of International Business Studies.

Currently Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, Donal Crilly is Associate Editor at the Strategic Management Journal, and an editorial board member of the Academy of Management Journal, the Academy of Management Review, the Journal of International Business Studies, and Strategic Organization.

Professor Crilly holds a BA (Dublin) MBA (Hitotsubashi) PhD (INSEAD) (UCL).

Experience

Niro Sivanathan is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School. His research draws on social psychological and evolutionary theories to examine how our judgments, decisions and behaviours are shaped by the psychological experience of status and power within social hierarchies. In addition he also explores how our motivation to maintain the self-integrity influences decision-making.

His research has been presented at leading international conferences and published in the top international journals in the fields of Science, Management and Psychology, such as: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Human Behaviour, Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Applied Psychology, Psychological Science, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. This research has also been translated to practitioner audiences at the Harvard Business Review and a TED Talk. His research has also garnered international press coverage at CNN, Financial Times, Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Sunday Times and Forbes.

He teaches Negotiations, Influence, and Decision-making to a wide audience and is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including being selected as one of the World's top 40 Best B-School Professors under 40 by Poets and Quants in 2016, and at LBS, the Excellence in Teaching Award, and voted the Best MBA teacher by the graduating class. He has provided advisory and executive education services for organizations such as Credit Suisse, Kearney, YPO, Merck, Central Bank of Turkey, Salesforce and LVHM.

Professor Sivanathan earned his PhD in Management & Organisations from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He also holds an MSc in Management and a BA in Psychology (Honours) from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada.