The Ohio State University has named Aravind Chandrasekaran the permanent dean of the Max M. Fisher College of Business in Columbus, formalizing a leadership role he has held on an interim basis since June 2025. The appointment is pending approval by the university’s Board of Trustees, and Chandrasekaran will continue to hold the John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business.
Chandrasekaran, known on campus as “AC,” has been part of Fisher for more than 15 years, having joined Ohio State in 2009. He is an award-winning scholar in operations management, an expert in healthcare operations, artificial intelligence and process innovation, and the author of two books.
“AC has demonstrated a deep commitment to Fisher and a clear understanding of the role a great business college in Ohio can play,” interim Executive Vice President and Provost Trevor Brown said in the university’s announcement. Brown credited Chandrasekaran’s interim tenure with generating momentum around priorities aimed at positioning business students for personal and professional success.
Before stepping into the dean’s office, Chandrasekaran served as senior associate dean for faculty, research and non-degree executive education, and earlier as associate dean for graduate programs and executive education, overseeing a portfolio that included the full-time and working professional MBA programs, the Executive MBA, specialized master’s degrees and custom executive education.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead Fisher into its next chapter, and I couldn’t be more optimistic about what’s ahead,” Chandrasekaran said. He pointed to progress in enhancing the student experience, deepening industry engagement and investing in faculty, staff, research and innovation.
Fisher is one of the largest business colleges in the country and a major pipeline of graduates into Ohio employers. A permanent dean gives the college stable leadership as it rolls out a reshaped undergraduate experience built around technology, industry partnerships and career preparation.
The appointment takes effect pending the Board of Trustees vote. Chandrasekaran succeeds in a role he has effectively filled for 16 months, meaning students and faculty should see continuity rather than a change in direction as the college moves into its next chapter.
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY