Francesca Cornelli named dean of Kellogg School of Management

Francesca Cornelli, professor of finance, deputy dean of degree education and director of private equity at London Business School, has been named dean of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, President Morton Schapiro and Provost Jonathan Holloway announced today. Cornelli’s term will begin Aug.1, 2019. She will also hold the Donald P. Jacobs Chair of Finance. 

“We’re proud to welcome Professor Cornelli to Northwestern University as dean of one of the world’s premier business schools,” said President Schapiro. “She’s uniquely suited to take our Kellogg School to the next level — and to continue building a genuinely global model for business education and scholarship.”

Cornelli is widely respected as an accomplished scholar and a leader in business education. Her research interests include corporate governance, private equity, privatization, bankruptcy, IPOs and innovation policy. 

She is an editor of the Review of Financial Studies, and previously served on the Board of Editors of The Review of Economic Studies and as an associate editor at the Journal of Finance.She is a Research Fellow of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and previously served as a director of the American Finance Association. 

Cornelli joined London Business School 25 years ago and has held positions or taught at some of the top business schools in the world including the Wharton School, the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, The London School of Economics, the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and the New Economic School in Moscow. She has also served as an independent board member of several global corporations including financial institutions.

“I’m thrilled that Francesca Cornelli will be the next dean of Kellogg,” said Provost Holloway. “She is an exceptional leader and talented scholar who is committed to fostering excellence for faculty, staff and students. Her enthusiasm for Kellogg, proven track record of collaboration and clear-eyed focus on the future made her the obvious choice.”

“I have always admired Kellogg as a school full of ideas, of creativity and innovation. I am very excited and honored to join a community of such talented people. I know that together we can continue raising the bar while staying true to the Kellogg spirit,” Cornelli said. 

At Kellogg and Northwestern, Cornelli will join a community of faculty who like herself, are global leaders in their fields, pushing new boundaries of research within a vibrant ecosystem that encourages cross-disciplinary exploration. 

“Professor Cornelli brings to Kellogg a distinctive blend of personal research accomplishments, commitment to supporting scholarship and professional development in the academic profession, and extensive experience in the private sector,” said Paola Sapienza, Donald C. Clark/HSBC Chair in Consumer Finance and chair of the Kellogg dean search committee.  

Cornelli succeeds Kathleen Hagerty, who has served as interim dean since September 2018, and Sally Blount (’92), who served as dean of Kellogg from 2010-18. Hagerty will continue to serve as Kellogg interim dean until July 31, 2019.

Cornelli received her bachelor’s degree from Università Commerciale Bocconi in Milan, Italy, and her master’s degree and Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

For further information on Professor Cornelli, visit: www.fcornelli.uk