The Ohio State University has named Indian American scholar and academic leader Aravind Chandrasekaran dean of the Max M. Fisher College of Business, pending Board of Trustees approval.
Chandrasekaran has served as interim dean of the college since June 2025. He will also continue to hold the John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business, the university announced.
“AC has demonstrated a deep commitment to Fisher and a clear understanding of the role a great business college in Ohio can play,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Trevor Brown.
Since joining Ohio State in 2009, Chandrasekaran has earned widespread respect as an award-winning scholar, author of two books, and expert in healthcare operations, AI and process innovation, according to the university.
He brings extensive administrative experience from prior leadership roles across the college’s graduate and executive programs, and his leadership has strengthened areas central to Fisher’s continued advancement and is vital to the university’s broader ambitions.
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“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,” said Chandrasekaran. “We’ve built strong momentum in enhancing the student experience, deepening industry engagement, and investing in our faculty, staff, research and innovation.”
Under Chandrasekaran’s leadership, the college is creatively redefining the student experience to better equip Business Buckeyes with the skills to shape what’s next as emerging business leaders, according to the release.
The reimagined undergraduate experience introduces students to business learning earlier in their college journeys while also creating stronger connections between classroom education and real-world application.
Underpinning this work is Chandrasekaran’s ongoing effort to create a multifaceted culture for faculty and staff focused on teaching, research, service, collaboration and innovation.
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“Under AC’s leadership, the college has an opportunity to build substantially on its reputation and to increase its influence across Ohio State, throughout the state and in the business community,” Brown said.
Chandrasekaran has also played a key role in developing tailored teaching and research programs for global organizations such as Tata Consultancy Services, Ford Motor Company and Zimmer.
As a researcher, Chandrasekaran’s work explores innovation, organizational learning and knowledge creation across sectors such as high-tech R&D, manufacturing and health care delivery. His recent work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics and operational excellence.
His research has earned numerous accolades, including the 2012 INFORMS-Industry Studies Best Paper Award, the 2013 Carol J. Latta Emerging Leadership Award from the Decision Sciences Institute, and Fisher’s 2015 Pace Setters Research Award.
He holds a PhD in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Minnesota.