Howard THOMAS

Howard THOMAS served as Dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) at Singapore Management University (SMU) from 2010 to 2014. During his tenure, he secured AACSB and EQUIS accreditations for the school and expanded its global partnerships. A renowned scholar, he holds fellowships from leading academic institutions and was honored with the Richard Whipp Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) and Strategic Leadership Award (2014).

His academic journey includes roles as Dean at London Business School, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Warwick Business School, alongside professorships at institutions like MIT and Harvard. His research focuses on strategic management, African economic development, and management education innovation. He has authored five upcoming books on African and Latin American management studies, emphasizing entrepreneurial ecosystems and decolonizing educational approaches.

THOMAS pioneered programs like the Master of Management and restructured SMU’s MBA to emphasize VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) frameworks. He advocates for experiential learning and has led funded research projects in Africa and Latin America, challenging colonialist narratives in business education. His legacy includes strengthening doctoral programs and fostering SMU’s Asian identity through initiatives like the Community Service Project.