Professor Gishan Dissanaike, who has been the interim dean since July 2023, has said “it will be a privilege to serve as the first home-grown dean of Cambridge Judge Business School” following his appointment to the top job at the world-renowned business school.
The appointment is the first time in the business school’s first 30 years that the University of Cambridge has selected an internal candidate to the deanship.
Prof Dissanaike is a financial economist and holds the Adam Smith Professorship of Corporate Governance at the University of Cambridge. He gained his BA from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, before coming up to Cambridge to the Faculty of Economics and Trinity College, where he completed an MPhil and a PhD in Economics.
In 1994 he became University Lecturer in Finance at Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS), then University Senior Lecturer in Finance and Reader in Finance. In 2010 he took on the Adam Smith Professorship and became interim dean following the departure of Prof Mauro Guillén (2021-June 2023).
Prof Dissanaike has also held a visiting faculty appointment at Cornell University and has been consulted by several international corporations, investment banks, and regulatory agencies. Prior to joining academia, he worked for Banque Indosuez (now Credit Agricole Group, currently the third largest bank in Europe). He has previously served on the Finance Committee of the University of Cambridge and was Acting Chair of Cambridge Judge’s Faculty Board.
As a faculty member at Cambridge Judge for 30 years, he has a deep understanding of the school’s culture, values, and operations. Gishan has taught generations of students on the MBA, Master of Finance and MPhil in Finance programmes and has developed strong connections with the alumni community of both the Business School and the wider University.
Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and chair of the Appointments Committee, said: “I am delighted by the appointment of Professor Gishan Dissanaike as the new Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School. During his tenure as Interim Dean, Gishan has been an effective leader, earning the support of the faculty, professional staff and alumni communities.
“His experience over three decades at the Business School makes him an ideal choice to lead it into its next phase of development and growth. I am confident that under his deanship, Cambridge Judge will continue to thrive. I look forward to working closely with him as he builds upon the strong foundations laid by his predecessors.”
Prof Dissanaike said: “It will be a privilege to serve as the first home-grown dean of Cambridge Judge Business School, and to serve the institution that has been such an inspiration, as well as my academic home for several decades.
“ I look forward to nurturing the relationships, ambitions and conversations that keep the Business School – and indeed Cambridge – at the top of its game, in terms of impact, research, global economic benefit and philanthropic endeavour. Cambridge Judge Business School will focus on responsible business, innovation, and leadership in a turbulent world, and continue to solve real-world problems that have a lasting impact on society.”
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