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Meet the Dean Ajay Khorana
Ajay Khorana, PhD, serves as dean of the Lubin School of Business and a professor of finance at 花季传媒. He brings to the position a rare blend of senior industry leadership and deep academic experience, making him uniquely equipped to guide Lubin into its next era of growth and strategic impact.
Khorana鈥檚 career spans more than three decades across both academia and industry. Most recently, he served as global treasurer for the U.S. Personal Banking and Global Wealth businesses at Citigroup, where he oversaw strategic financial planning, risk management, and capital allocation for a $400 billion balance sheet. Over the course of nearly twenty years at Citi, he held several senior roles of influence and responsibility. As global head of the Financial Strategy Group, he advised Fortune 500 companies on critical matters of corporate strategy, including mergers and acquisitions, capital structure, shareholder policy, and governance. His ability to navigate complex global markets, while simultaneously aligning corporate strategy with long-term growth objectives, positioned him as a trusted advisor to leaders in business and finance.
Prior to his distinguished career at Citi, Khorana spent more than a decade in academia. He held faculty appointments at Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business and the University of Virginia鈥檚 Darden School of Business. During this period, he built a reputation as both a respected scholar and a gifted teacher. His research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, and he is known for inspiring students to achieve excellence inside and outside the classroom. His dual expertise in research and teaching reflects his ability to bridge theory and practice-a skill that now informs his leadership at 花季传媒.
Khorana is also deeply committed to advancing business education through innovation, career preparation, and global engagement. In his own words, 鈥淚t is an honor to join 花季传媒 and lead the Lubin School of Business. Lubin has a strong foundation of academic excellence and career preparation. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners to build on that legacy and drive continued innovation and impact. There鈥檚 no better place to connect business education with the center of the financial world.鈥
This vision resonates strongly with 花季传媒鈥檚 mission and with the location of its New York City campus in the heart of Lower Manhattan, blocks from Wall Street and the headquarters of major financial and nonfinancial companies. University leaders have emphasized the value Khorana brings to Lubin. Pace President Marvin Krislov described him as 鈥渁 transformational leader who brings both real-world experience and academic depth to Pace. His global perspective and strategic vision will enhance Lubin鈥檚 programs and reputation and expand opportunities for our students and faculty.鈥 Similarly, Jonathan H. Hill, DPS, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, praised him as 鈥渆xactly the kind of visionary leader we need to shape the future of business education at Pace.鈥
The Lubin School of Business itself is widely recognized as a nationally ranked leader in business education, with a long-standing reputation for preparing graduates for career success and upward mobility. Lubin is among fewer than 2 percent of business schools worldwide that hold dual accreditation in both business and accounting by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The school has earned recognition for its programs in accounting, finance, management, and arts and entertainment, as well as for its online and executive MBA offerings. These distinctions provide a strong foundation upon which Khorana intends to build.
Khorana鈥檚 own academic preparation reflects the same balance of rigor and breadth that characterizes his career. He earned a PhD in finance from the University of North Carolina鈥檚 KenanFlagler Business School, an MBA in finance from Wake Forest University鈥檚 School of Business, and a BA in economics with honors, with a minor in mathematics, from the University of Delhi. His background equips him with a global perspective, a
scholarly foundation, and a strong analytical skillset, all of which he brings to his work at Pace.
As dean, Khorana emphasizes the importance of connecting classroom learning to real-world opportunities. He believes that students should graduate with both academic knowledge and practical experience, positioning them to excel in highly competitive industries. His leadership is expected to further integrate industry partnerships, enhance Lubin鈥檚 presence in the global business community, and create new pathways for students to connect with leaders in finance, technology, and management.
Through his unique blend of experience, Khorana bridges two worlds that are often seen as separate: the rigor of academia and the dynamism of global industry. His presence at Pace underscores the university鈥檚 commitment to preparing students not only for their first jobs but also for lifelong careers defined by adaptability, leadership, and innovation.
In every dimension of his work, Dean Khorana demonstrates a commitment to excellence, collaboration, and impact. With his leadership, the Lubin School of Business is poised to expand its reputation as one of the nation鈥檚 most respected business schools and to continue its tradition of shaping leaders for the global marketplace.