Announcing Rohan Williamson, Ph.D., as Interim Dean of the McDonough School of Business

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

I write to share with you an update on our leadership transition at the McDonough School of Business.

In recent weeks, I announced that David Thomas, Ph.D., has decided to step down from his role as Dean and would be returning to our faculty in the MSB. We remain deeply grateful to David for his leadership and service to our community during his five years as Dean.

Today, I write to share that Rohan Williamson, Ph.D., has been appointed Interim Dean of the MSB, effective August 2, 2016.

A member of our faculty since 1997, he serves as Professor of Finance and the Bolton Sullivan and Thomas A. Dean Chair of International Business, specializing in international finance, corporate governance, corporate investment decisions, and risk management.

During his almost two decades as part of our community, Rohan has played an integral role in the growth and development of the MSB—serving as a member of the Academic Leadership Council, as Area Coordinator for Finance (2004-2009, 2011-2014)—one of the longest serving Area Coordinators—and as chair of the MBA curriculum design committee and the MSB undergraduate curriculum committee.

He has served on numerous University committees, including the McDonough Committee on Rank and Tenure (2011 to present), the McDonough School of Business Dean Search Committee (2010-2011), the Graduate School Dean Search Committee (2009), and the University-wide Diversity Committee (2000-2006).

He has been recognized for his contributions to the field of finance—having received the 2003 William F. Sharpe Best Paper Award in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the 1999 Michael Jensen Prize for the best paper published in the Journal of Financial Economics in the areas of Corporate Finance and Organizations.

He received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton, his M.B.A. from Clark Atlanta University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He is the parent of a current Georgetown student and a 2014 graduate.

We are deeply grateful to Rohan. Please join me in expressing our welcome and appreciation to him for taking on this new role.

Sincerely,

John J. DeGioia