London Business School appoints Sergei Guriev as dean

The London Business School has selected development economist Sergei Guriev as the institution’s next dean.

He will take up the role at the start of the 2024/25 academic year, and also join the LBS faculty a professor of economics.

Guriev is currently a professor and provost at Sciences Po, which he has worked at since 2013. Prior to this he led the New Economics School in Moscow, but was forced to leave Russia after offering public support for critics of Vladimir Putin.

He takes over the post of dean from François Ortalo-Magné, who is stepping down to become a professor of management practice at LBS and executive dean for external relations.

Guriev’s research has focused on areas including the economics of development and transition economies, the political economy of populism and autocracy and corporate governance and finance.

Between 2016 and 2019, he was chief economist at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which provides investment funds for countries in Europe, Asia and North Africa to support transition towards sustainable market economies.

Commenting on the appointment, Guriev said: “I strongly support the School’s mission and values, and am looking forward to working together with LBS’s outstanding team and alumni to make an impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world in the rapidly evolving global environment.”

Chair of LBS’s governing body David Pyott, said: “Sergei is an eminent economist and a well-known figure on the world stage, who has served as Provost at Sciences Po, a prestigious institution. He has an outstanding track record in Russia, the US and France. His vision for a School achieving global impact and making the world a better place will define the future of LBS.”