A Century of Innovative, Principled, Purposeful Leadership

As I settle into the role of dean, I’ve spent the past few months traveling to meet with alumni and friends of the school and connecting here on campus with students, faculty, and staff. In every conversation, I am struck by the remarkable depth, ambition, and generosity of our community.

We are grounded in intellect and achievement, but what really sets GSB leaders apart is their keen sense of self-awareness, their rigor in decision-making, their openness to different perspectives, and a balance of confidence and humility. Again and again, I meet leaders who — especially in moments of uncertainty — pause, listen, and lead with clarity and purpose.

These qualities are not just useful in a crisis — they matter every day, in every context, as we navigate complexity and change together. They are part of a long tradition at the GSB, one that reaches back to our founding.

In 1924, a group of forward-thinking leaders — led by Herbert Hoover, then a Stanford trustee — gathered beneath the redwoods to imagine a business school for the West. The nation was recovering from war and on the cusp of profound innovation. With East Coast schools drawing talent away, there was genuine concern that California might be left behind.

Hoover recognized that the moment called for boldness and a fresh vision. “National character cannot be built by law,” he reminded those gathered. “It is the sum of the moral fiber of its individuals.” That conviction would chart Stanford GSB’s course for the next century as it cultivated a world-class faculty dedicated to shaping business leaders defined as much by integrity as by skill.

That vision has guided the school through a century of turbulence — economic downturns, global conflicts, technological disruption, and even a global pandemic. Our history reminds us that turbulence is not the exception but the rule and that our resilience comes from the values we hold most deeply.

Those values come alive through the extraordinary work of our alumni. Some lead innovation with integrity, such as Mariam Naficy, MBA ’98, whose company Minted has transformed e-commerce while empowering independent artists worldwide. Others channel their leadership into service and public impact, such as Jake Harriman, MBA ’08, the founder of + More Perfect Union, who works to strengthen communities through civic engagement; and Katherine August-deWilde, MBA ’75, a leader in tackling San Francisco’s housing challenges. Others show courage in confronting global crises. Lord John Browne, MS ’81, the former chief of BP, was the first oil and gas CEO to publicly commit to addressing environmental risks; Eric Yuan, SEP ’06, the founder and CEO of Zoom, scaled his company during a historic surge in demand at the height of the COVID pandemic. All of them show a deep commitment to fostering opportunities for others, as exemplified by Peter Georgescu, MBA ’63, who has distinguished himself through his leadership in both business and philanthropy.

Different industries, different paths — but the same traits shine through: self-awareness, moral clarity, consideration of others, and the courage to lead in uncertainty.

Today, we find ourselves at another inflection point — for higher education, for business, and for society. Technology is reshaping the future of work and the nature of leadership. Global challenges require leaders who can see the whole system, not just their own part in it.

Our charge is to ensure the GSB remains not just relevant but essential: cultivating principled leaders who foster durable economic prosperity, unlock innovation and opportunity, and navigate volatility with wisdom. This is not a departure from our past — it is the natural continuation of the vision set beneath the redwoods a century ago.

I am deeply optimistic. Our community has always turned challenge into opportunity, and I know we will again. The founders of the GSB understood that greatness requires not just expertise but character, vision, and the courage to act. That truth endures. The world needs principled, purposeful leaders now more than ever — and that is, and will always be, Stanford GSB’s guiding principle.