Stanford Names Former Wine Entrepreneur As New MBA Admissions Chief

Assistant Dean of admissions and financial aid at Stanford Graduate School of Business Erin Nixon

Launching a popular wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona might not strike many as an ideal background to head up MBA admissions at one of the world’s most exclusive and prestigious MBA programs. But Erin Nixon, named today as assistant dean of admissions and financial aid at Stanford Graduate School of Business, isn’t merely a entrepreneur.

Selected after an international search to succeed Kirsten Moss who stepped down from the job at the end of 2022, Nixon brings a compelling mix of work experience to the job, including stints at The Boston Consulting Group and LinkedIn. Most recently, she has been a business advisor to a startup digital marketing agency in Barcelona, the Chelsea & Co. Agency, where she has shaped the company’s strategy, managing finances, revamping pricing, building scalable processes, and doing organizational design and hiring. Nixon begins her new duties on July 1.

“We did a comprehensive, international search for someone who could do great work in a role that requires numerous skills — representing the GSB, managing a large professional team, and assessing talent and potential,” says Stanford GSB Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Paul Oyer in a statement. “Erin has that rare combination of talents that will enable her to excel in all the aspects of this position. She is a great addition to the GSB’s leadership team.”

HER STANFORD MBA WAS PAID FOR BY BCG

Nixon, who earned both her undergraduate degree in economics and MBA at Stanford in 2010, returns to campus for a role that she says in a statement “at its heart, is about identifying and connecting with smart, highly motivated people who want to make a difference in the world. It is about bringing them together to create a strong, robust community, representing a wide variety of lived experiences, ambitions, and perspectives, united by common values.”

She began her MBA journey in 2008 from Boston Consulting Group which footed the bill for her MBA tuition. During her time at the global consulting firm, she was promoted from associate to consultant and finally to project leader, having worked in three offices, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and San Francisco. All told, Nixon spent six and one-half years with the firm until leaving to join LinkedIn.

Over a five-year stint, from 2012 to 2017, she helped to scale LinkedIn’s global Talent Brand Solutions business from San Francisco and London.

REALIZED A LIFELONG DREAM TO BECOME A WINE ENTREPRENEUR

Realizing a lifelong dream to become a wine entrepreneur, she left for Barcelona in 2018 to found and run La Catalista Wine Bar and Kitchen, in the El Born neighborhood until 2022. Within six months of opening, her wine bar was named a 2019 Best Restaurant in Barcelona by Conde Nast Traveler, TimeOut, and a leading Barcelona newspaper.

She has also worked in Barcelona as a strategy and operations leader and advisor for a few startups and small businesses, including a tech-enabled mental health provider and a digital marketing and brand agency for wine and spirits.

“I’m delighted to step into this role because I feel deeply aligned with the mission and goals of Stanford GSB,” Nixon says in a statement. “I’ve experienced firsthand how it transforms the trajectory of its students, unlocking leadership potential to drive meaningful impact in the world. Stanford is an incredibly inspiring place, and it’s a dream to be able to return to the Farm and serve the GSB community in this way.”