KU School of Business introduces new dean

Jide Wintoki is the Henry D. Price Professor and the new dean of the KU School of Business. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Lagos before graduating from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia with a doctorate in finance. 

Wintoki has worked in academia and industry for the past 20 years, including working as a financial economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. At KU, he has held several roles in the KU School of Business including Capitol Federal Professor of Finance, area director of the Analytics, Information, Operations academic area, and associate dean of graduate programs. Wintoki has a multidisciplinary research approach and researches topics across finance, business analytics and corporate governance.

What brought you to KU, and how long have you been part of the KU and School of Business communities?
I came here to work as a professor, and I’ve been here since 2008. I came here after getting my Ph.D. at the University of Georgia, and I picked the University of Kansas because it’s a great research university in a great college town. I already had some family in the area, so it was a perfect fit.

One of piece of trivia that I like to share with people is that shortly after I accepted my position, the University of Kansas won the national championship in basketball. I think that was a sign that this was where I was meant to be.

What do you like about being a Jayhawk?
I love the Jayhawk community. There’s so much passion and energy for KU here that it's hard not to love. I love how the Jayhawk community is really passionate about the university. I love the people here. I love the energy that comes with having students here, and I like being associated with the iconic Jayhawk.

How do you define your personal brand?
I think my personal brand is something that I have picked up from what people have said to me and what they think about me. I think I’m a thoughtful researcher and an empathetic teacher and instructor who genuinely cares about his students, and I think I’m a fair and empathetic colleague.

What is your management and leadership style?
I consider myself to be somebody who leads by example and somebody who is collaborative. One thing that defines my leadership or management style is that I like to build teams and connect people while looking for ways to bring people together in ways that bring out their best.

What do you see as the school’s strengths?
One of the biggest strengths right now is our people. We have highly motivated staff who feel connected to the school. We have great instructors who care about their students and deliver a high-quality experience. We also have a core of especially young researchers who are world-class; they’re doing great research, and they’re also great teachers who care about their students.

Another strength is the Jayhawk community of alumni and well-wishers. I can’t think of a university out there that has alumni, well-wishers and supporters who care so passionately about the university and demonstrate this in many ways. I think that’s a testament to how much the community cares about the university and the business school.

What are your long-term goals for the school?
My long-run vision for the school is that we first and foremost integrate ourselves fully in the business community in the greater Kansas City area and the state of Kansas. I want the business communities in Kansas City and the state of Kansas to fully understand that we have a world-class research university right here in Lawrence.

I want to see the University of Kansas School of Business become one of the top 2% of public, state university business schools in the country. The school is something that students and parents have to talk about, and this is the place where students get the best student experience that prepares them for the marketplace for a globally competitive business landscape.

What do you want students, alumni and well-wishers to know about you and your plans for the school?
I view my stepping into this role as a privilege. I’m building on all the work of the people, faculty, staff and students who have come before me. I view this as a sacred trust to pass on to the next generation. It’s a place where we’re working for them to see a real return on their investment in the lives of the students that pass through here and in the impact of the University of Kansas School of Business in the community.