Dipak Jain is being recognized for his
effort in building the Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University
into one of the country’s leading business
education institutions.
Jain believes that helping students reach
their potential is at the heart of the school’s
mission, and he revels in the constant challenge of meeting that lofty goal. He is no
stranger to the challenges of continued
learning, as he holds degrees in mathematics, statistics, marketing and business management.
He established three key directives on his
first day: Build the Kellogg School brand
and differentiate themselves as management leaders; enhance the school’s alumni
network and keep the alumni engaged; and
build the global reputation by having a presence in key markets, such as Asia, Europe
and Latin America.
In order to put the school in a position to
succeed in achieving his vision, Jain knew it
was essential to create an inclusive culture
that focused on fostering ideas and decisions bordering on a speed of execution
unknown in the school’s storied past. This
was accomplished by changing the structure of the management team from a dictatorship, largely driven by the decisions of
the dean, to an institutionally driven spirit of
entrepreneurship, focused on empowering
a task force of himself, two senior associate
deans and six management chairs. In order
for this structure to produce results, any
two of the three deans are empowered to
make final decisions for the school. This
new structure enables Kellogg to focus on
its main purpose — helping students reach
their potential.
HOW TO REACH: Kellogg School of Management,
Northwestern University, www.kellogg.northwestern.edu