“Business is not just about profits and efficiency—it’s also about people, society, and the future.”
In November 2025, Fudan University issued a global call for talent—a public recruitment for the Dean of the School of Management (Fudan SoM). This marked the first time in the school’s history that the deanship was opened to a worldwide search. After several months of selection, the decision was finalized. Professor ZHANG Fuqiang, formerly of Washington University’s Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, emerged as the top candidate to lead this century-old institution of business education and innovation.
“The School of Management belongs to every member of this community; the dean is simply the person who leads the way,” Zhang said at his appointment ceremony on July 7. Facing the wave of AI that is reshaping everything, he believes all business schools are being brought back to the same starting line. Moving forward, he will work alongside faculty and students to embrace innovation and transformation, striving to build a world-class business school that leads management innovation in the AI era.
A Lifetime of Exploration, Returning with the Same Ambition
Born in 1975, Zhang is about to turn 51.
“Fifty is the perfect age to take on new challenges,” he said with a smile.
In 1995, Zhang graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong University with a degree in Power Systems and Automation. Driven by a strong interest in economics and management, he pursued further studies in Singapore and the United States, eventually earning his Ph.D. in Managerial Science and Applied Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
After completing his doctorate in 2004, Zhang held faculty positions at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, and the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. He rose through the ranks from assistant professor to chaired professor, department chair, and associate dean, becoming one of Olin’s most distinguished educators.
“My experience studying and working at world-class business schools has given me deep insight into the challenges and opportunities facing business education in the future,” he reflected.
Zhang’s research focuses on operations and supply chain management. He is among the earliest scholars to introduce information asymmetry and strategic consumer behavior into supply chain research, publishing extensively in top-tier academic journals. In recent years, as geopolitics have grown increasingly complex and global supply chains have become more critical than ever, his research has proven forward-looking, opening up new directions in the field.
Despite spending many years abroad, Zhang never lost touch with China’s academic community. Over a decade ago, he began actively collaborating with Chinese scholars, returning to China every year during academic breaks. It was through these visits that he developed a deep connection with Fudan, where he served as a visiting professor and instructor for the Fudan-Washington University EMBA Program.
“Over the years, the management science discipline in China has made tremendous progress. The gap with top international standards is narrowing rapidly, and a new generation of talented young scholars is emerging,” Zhang observed. This vibrant momentum convinced him that the time had come to return.
Choosing Fudan: “I Want to Do Something Different”
“I’ve always been open to new opportunities—I was just waiting for the right moment,” Zhang admitted.
After Fudan SoM announced its global dean search last year, he received messages from many colleagues and friends encouraging him to apply. After careful consideration and discussions with his family, he quickly decided to throw his hat in the ring. From submitting his application to receiving the interview invitation to learning the final result, Zhang described the entire process as “efficient, transparent, and seamless”.
This April, he officially accepted the offer.
The transition from St. Louis, USA, to Shanghai, China—and from a scholar balancing research and administration to a dean overseeing the entire school—is no small leap.
“As a professor, your responsibility is your own research and teaching, and your impact is mainly in the classroom and on your students. As a dean, you have to think about the school as a whole and take a strategic view,” he explained.
(END)
Writer: Mahek
Editor: WANG Mengqi, LI Yijie
