UC-Irvine Merage Finds A New Dean In New Zealand

Ian Williamson, incoming dean at UC-Irvine’s Merage School of Business

Ian Williamson, dean of the Wellington School of Business and Government at Victoria University in New Zealand, has been named the new dean for the Paul Merage School of Business at UC-Irvine. Williamson, who will succeed Eric Spangenberg, will assume his new role on Jan. 1.

Williamson, who is also pro vice-chancellor at Victoria, won the job after a global search assisted by the search firm of Isaacson, Miller. He brings with him a wealth of business school teaching experience, having taught human resource management at Melbourne Business School, Rutgers Business School, the Zurich Institute of Business Education (Switzerland), the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia. His research examines the impact of “talent pipelines” on organizational and community outcomes.

For the past three years since joining Wellington from Melbourne, where he spent 11 years, Williamson has been dean of the Wellington School where he developed and implemented a faculty strategic plan to enhance postgraduate education. UC-Irvine said he is also credited with expanding international partnerships in Asia and South America and established an entrepreneur and innovation program. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000 and a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami University in Ohio in 1994.

“Professor Williamson brings the depth and breadth of experience across disciplines, industries and continents that are necessary to meet the challenges of an evolving educational landscape within a global economy as we prepare the next generation of business leaders,” UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement

In the announcement, Williamson is quoted as saying: “It is a great honor to serve as the next dean of the Paul Merage School of Business. With its world-class research faculty and professional staff, links to the vibrant Orange County business community and strong ties to civic society, the school is well-positioned to lead the next evolution of business education,” Williamson said. “Now more than ever, business schools must play an instrumental role in promoting the economic and social well-being of communities.”

The search committee to evaluate nominees and recommendations to the chancellor and provost was announced last September and chaired by Christopher Schwarz, an associate professor in the Merage School.