On April 29th, the Lang School announced the hire of finance expert Dr. Greg Bauer as the new Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships within the Lang School. Dr. Bauer is currently the Michael J. Barclay Alumni Professor and former Associate Dean of Full-Time Programs at the Simon Business School, University of Rochester. He earned his PhD from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Before working at Simon, he was the Senior Research Director at the Bank of Canada.
In this Q&A, Dr. Bauer discusses his decision to join Lang and the future of the School.
What makes you well suited for this role as Lang's Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships?
"I have extensive experience at both the University of Rochester and at the Bank of Canada which should be helpful in this new role. At the Simon Business School, I was the Associate Dean of Full-Time programs. One of my larger accomplishments was to introduce a STEM option for the full-time MBA program. Simon was the first business school to offer such a program and it was a big innovation at the time. I also created the “Integrated Student Experience” where all elements of the degree – including the new curriculum, student clubs and co-curricular training – are oriented towards the student’s career success. These efforts were rewarded by international recognition. The Simon Full Time MBA program was honoured as the “MBA program of the Year” in 2018 by Poets and Quants. The program moved up 16 places in one year on the 2019 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking to reach #29 overall and #4 for learning.
I was also fortunate to work at the Bank of Canada for many years. At the Bank, I was a Senior Research Director in the Financial Markets Department which is roughly equivalent to a Faculty Dean position. My research on important policy questions had an impact. My model evaluating the likelihood of a house price correction in Canada received extensive coverage in the Canadian press. My work on issues concerning the integration of financial markets into monetary policy implementation was used in the Bank’s Inflation Targeting Agreement with the Government of Canada. But perhaps my greatest accomplishment was to build a research division of active PhDs. The Finance division remains an active center of research to this day.
My tenure at both institutions allowed me to work closely with a diverse group of individuals, including students, alumni, faculty, and employers. I will lever these experiences and the insights gained to expand and strengthen Lang’s strategic partnerships in an ever-changing business environment."
Why did you choose to come to Lang?
"This is an easy question. Lang has had a long and distinguished history at the University of Guelph, but it is also a business school of the future. For example, Lang’s recent AACSB accreditation placed it among the elite business schools in the world. If you have a careful look at the required AACSB standards for accreditation you will see that they emphasize that businesses should have a positive impact on society. They highlight the global nature of business, the importance of ethics and social responsibility and placing business within the community, not as something apart from it. Do these goals sound familiar? The international standards that the AACSB is using to move other schools along is already at the heart of the Lang experience. Lang has a strong lead and vision in this area."
What do you think the future holds for Lang?
"The future of Lang is bright, and I am eager to contribute. One of my first priorities will be to assist with the new strategic plan that Dean Porth and a team at Lang is crafting. I see this as an opportunity to shape the future of the school. I am particularly interested in the implementation of our key initiatives concerning sustainable business, internationalism and supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion. I view these initiatives as essential for preparing the school for the business world of the future.
It is important to leverage Lang’s advantage with external partnerships to help further these initiatives. Partnerships can be found in other parts of the University of Guelph, at other universities both in Canada and abroad, with employers and governments at all levels. Lang students will need international opportunities to develop a global mindset and these relationships need cultivating. I am also enthusiastic about meeting former Lang students – our treasured alums – and involving them in the future of the school.
I am looking forward to getting to work!"
Read the full announcement of Dr. Bauer's appointment as Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships [1]
