S.Dutta’s initial connection to Oxford University began as a parent, when his daughter enrolled there. However, stepping into his current role as the new Dean of the Saïd Business School offers an entirely new perspective, one he acknowledges is an immense privilege given the university’s profound global reputation. He describes it as “a pleasure, a privilege, an honor to be part of the whole Oxford experience,” further calling Oxford “the UK’s gift to the world.”
Dutta’s decision to take on this leadership position at one of the world’s premier business schools speaks volumes, particularly when considering his already remarkable career. Before joining Oxford Saïd, he had built an impressive professional history: after earning his engineering degree from the prestigious IIT Delhi, he pursued both his Master’s and PhD in Computer Science at Berkeley. He then became the Roald Berger professor of business and technology at INSEAD, subsequently serving as Dean of Cornell’s Johnson School, where he played a pivotal role in launching the Cornell-Tech campus in New York.
Dutta’s extensive influence in the realm of business education is widely recognized. His impressive background includes participation in a White House roundtable with business school deans during President Obama’s administration, focusing on effective workforce policies. Furthermore, he has held key leadership positions as both Vice Chair and Chair of AACSB International, the foremost global accreditation body for business schools. By any measure, these roles solidify his status as a prominent figure in the field of business education.
Dutta remains profoundly grateful for the chance to lead Oxford’s Saïd Business School, frequently highlighting the extraordinary individuals he has encountered during his initial six months. He emphasizes that while Oxford University’s physical grandeur is undeniable, its true essence lies in its “incredible people.” Dutta recounts serendipitous meetings with a diverse array of luminaries, including national presidents, Nobel laureates, the chair of the Man Booker Award, and numerous professional scientists who have undertaken remarkably fascinating and impactful work. He assures that such interactions consistently leave one feeling profoundly stimulated and inspired.
The University of Oxford stands shoulder-to-shoulder with academic giants like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT in the 2022/23 global BlueSky Ranking of Universities. Despite such high praise and the many illuminating experiences from his initial months at Oxford Saïd, Dean Soumitra Dutta admits that encapsulating the very essence of Oxford – as a university, a brand, or an idea – remains a challenge. Yet, one thing is unequivocally clear to him: “In a word, the University of Oxford and specifically Saïd Business School are global.”
Dutta’s assessment is undeniably accurate. Though Oxford Saïd recently celebrated only its 25th anniversary, the business school already boasts an extraordinarily international student body. As Dutta points out, a staggering 93% of Saïd’s MBA classes, for example, come from outside the UK. This creates an unparalleled diversity of perspectives and experiences, which he deems “a wonderful thing.” For the new Dean, this global dimension is far more than just a talking point; he asserts it’s fundamentally woven into the institution’s very purpose. “Globalism is entrenched into the very fiber of Oxford Saïd. It’s nestled deep within the DNA of Oxford,” he explains, adding that this international focus, highlighted by their diverse MBA cohorts, imbues an even deeper sense of purpose into an already profoundly purposeful institution. He stresses their acute awareness that many students traveling to Oxford Saïd have the unique opportunity to learn, return home, share their knowledge, and ultimately bring about dramatic change in their own countries and regions. It is this profound awareness, he states, that propels them forward.
In his interview for BlueSky Thinking, Dutta also delves into the crucial role that Oxford Saïd and other business schools should play in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Dutta’s inherent global mindset finds a natural home both at Oxford Saïd and beyond, evidenced by his leadership as Chair of the Global Business School Network (GBSN). Born from a desire to enhance management education capacity in emerging markets, GBSN has grown to encompass over 100 leading business schools from six continents, including Oxford Saïd. Dutta’s expansive thinking mirrors the mission of both organizations. “It’s about taking a broader, holistic view,” Dutta explains. “At GBSN, just like at Oxford Saïd, we have the potential to drive real change if we think big, and back thinking up with action.”
Reflecting on his leadership roles, Dutta highlights that a significant value of international networks and world-leading business schools lies in their ability to bridge the “execution gap.” The tangible impact of such bodies is evident in GBSN’s collaborations, like their work with Johnson & Johnson in Africa, or Oxford Saïd’s partnerships with entities such as Goldman Sachs through executive programs. However, Dutta poses a critical question: “are we doing enough, fast enough?” He emphasizes that “the reality is that business will have to be a clear leader in helping shape the solutions to many major global challenges – not least the challenge of climate change.” This leads him to frequently ask himself, “how will we change these organizations, and do so quickly enough? Will they change slowly, too slow in fact for them to make the impact?”
Dutta holds a clear and firm conviction regarding the profound responsibility that business owes to the broader world. He maintains equally high expectations for institutions like Oxford Saïd to lead and guide the industry in fulfilling this duty. He identifies two primary forces for instigating change: “Firstly,” he insists, “it’s about the graduates we send out into the world. You cannot simply expect an organization to just change – among other things you must seek to change it from within.” The second vehicle, he explains, is for institutions themselves to “lead by example.” “We too must do better,” he urges, emphasizing the critical need for educators to adopt a holistic perspective on global problems and address them comprehensively within their own operations. Oxford, he believes, is uniquely positioned to excel at this, leveraging its many outstanding colleges and faculties under one roof for cross-discipline collaboration – a path he sees as the way forward, despite acknowledging there’s always room for improvement. Dutta stresses the importance of working “structurally, and from an incentive point of view,” to foster greater collaboration across the entire system.
It’s entirely understandable that the Dean holds himself and his Oxford Saïd colleagues to such rigorous standards. Whether through the diverse international students who come to Oxford, the SMEs seeking support from the school’s executive education department, or the multinational corporations turning to networks like GBSN for guidance, Dutta is constantly reminded of the far-reaching impact a leading academic institution can exert on countless communities and businesses.
He is also quick to impress upon Saïd students their significant responsibilities as future change-makers. “I remind our students and graduates that they are benefiting from, or have benefited from, a unique privilege – an Oxford education,” he states. “They have learned in the Oxford environment. But, with this privilege comes a tremendous responsibility.” He urges them to recognize that, at some point in their careers, their decisions “aren’t just spreadsheet calculations done by some formula, but will address real, human issues, and will impact people in a fundamental manner.” Dutta passionately explains that Oxford Saïd alumni must remain acutely aware of the societal and environmental repercussions of their choices as they build their professional lives. This serves as a vital reminder that achievement, greatness, and professional success inherently bring with them a responsibility to those both within and beyond one’s immediate community.
My conversation with Dutta firmly established him as a deeply principled individual. Yet, by his own admission, he is also “a dreamer.” Once he embraces the immense responsibility of being a change-maker, Dutta finds himself filled with an overriding sense of optimism about the future. “It’s up to us what we want to dream about and what we want that future – whether it be the future of Oxford Saïd or otherwise – to look like,” he reflects. “Limits on those dreams are merely what we manufacture ourselves. They’re limitations that we imagine we have. Oxford gives you the right to dream and the right to lead. That’s a very powerful force to have behind you.”
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