Mark D. West

Mark D. West is Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Washington University in St. Louis, overseeing academic strategy and interdisciplinary initiatives. He also holds a Visiting Professorship at WashU Law. A leading scholar in Japanese law, West previously served as Dean of the University of Michigan Law School (2013–2023) and founded its Center for Japanese Studies.

• Prior roles: Nippon Life Professor of Law at University of Michigan
• Research focus: Japanese legal system, law-society interactions
• Key achievements: Authored 4 books on Japan's legal frameworks, led cross-disciplinary academic reforms

His leadership spans 25+ years in higher education, with earlier experience in corporate law practice (New York/Tokyo) and consulting roles for World Bank and U.S./Japanese governments. He earned a JD from Columbia University School of Law and BA from Rhodes College.