Oxford Dean Resigns Amid Accusations Of Harassment By A Female Colleague: Report

Oxford University has named Mette Morsing interim dean of its Saïd Business School after Soumitra Dutta, the school’s leader since 2022, resigned amid a harassment probe that Bloomberg reports upheld multiple allegations against him. Their source: “multiple people familiar with the review who asked not to be named discussing an investigation.”

According to Bloomberg, the university concluded a five-month investigation last month that substantiated three complaints of harassment made by a female academic. Dutta, who took medical leave in May that was later extended into September, reportedly announced his departure this week. In a message to staff, he described leading Saïd as “the greatest privilege” of his professional life, the outlet reported, but added that he did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Dutta’s attorney, in a letter to Poets&Quants, disputes the charge in the Bloomberg report.

Bloomberg‘s report states that there is no indication Dutta’s resignation is tied to the probe’s findings. Oxford told the outlet that it “does not tolerate harassment or sexual misconduct” and emphasized that staff concerns were handled through established procedures, while declining to comment on individual cases.

MORNING AFTER: METTE MORSING TAKES THE HELM

Morsing, director of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and a professor of business sustainability, will assume the interim deanship on September 22, Bloomberg reported. In an email to colleagues, she reportedly said she looked forward to “working with colleagues and students on the School’s mission of impact from within.”

Morsing has previously held senior roles at the United Nations and Copenhagen Business School, making her one of Europe’s leading voices on corporate responsibility and sustainable enterprise.

Emails from Poets&Quants to Oxford seeking a statement on Dutta’s resignation were not answered by the time this story was published; nor did Dutta respond to a LinkedIn message seeking comment.

DUTTA’S RISE — AND ABRUPT FALL

Dutta’s resignation closes a short but high-profile tenure at one of the world’s top business schools. When Oxford announced his appointment in early 2022, Poets&Quants noted that he was the first dean of Indian origin to lead Saïd. He officially began June 1 of that year, succeeding interim dean Sue Dopson.

Dutta built his reputation as a global leader in business education at INSEAD, where he served as deputy dean, and later at Cornell University. In 2012 he became dean of Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, then oversaw the 2016 creation of the SC Johnson College of Business, serving as its founding dean. He stepped down from that role in 2018 but remained at Cornell as a professor until Oxford recruited him in 2022.

Beyond academia, Dutta co-founded the Portulans Institute, a Washington-based think tank focused on innovation and technology, and sits on the board of French software giant Dassault Systèmes.

IMPACT ON SAÏD

At Oxford, Dutta championed female leadership and highlighted women’s participation in Saïd’s MBA program. In May of this year, upon the launch of the This Is What Happens When Women Read scholarship for women in the Oxford Saïd MBA, Dutta praised the vision of Julianna Glasse, founder of a nonprofit of the same name and the scholarship’s benefactor.

“We are incredibly grateful to Julianna for her generous gift. Like all of us at Oxford Saïd, she recognizes the importance of supporting the next generation of female leaders from across the world in their education and personal development,” he says.

“Her work with This is What Happens When Women Read sets out her stall as a world-leading advocate for women and girls and we are incredibly proud to have partnered with her to propel one student’s ambitions to enroll on our prestigious MBA program.”

Dutta’s departure now leaves the school — founded in 1996 with a £30 million gift from billionaire Wafic Saïd — at a sensitive juncture.

Saïd has risen rapidly in global rankings (see P&Q‘s most recent international ranking here and our story on the 2024 QS Executive MBA ranking here) over the past two decades. With Morsing’s interim appointment, the university is seeking stability while charting the school’s next chapter under permanent leadership.

Dutta’s resignation and the appointment of Morsing was announced by Timothy Power, who leads Oxford’s Social Sciences Division. The complete message is below:

School Leadership Update

Professor Soumitra Dutta has stepped down as Dean of Saïd Business School and will leave his employment with the University with effect from 10th September 2025. We thank Professor Dutta for his contributions to the School over the last three years.

In his farewell message, Professor Dutta said:

“It has been the greatest privilege of my professional life to serve this extraordinary institution and its remarkable students, faculty, and staff. Over the past years, we have strengthened Saïd’s global impact, deepened our research, and advanced our commitment to responsible leadership. I remain immensely proud of what we have accomplished together and have every confidence the School will continue to thrive and inspire under new leadership.

Lourdes and I are deeply grateful for the warmth and generosity with which you welcomed us into the Oxford community. The friendships and connections we have made here will remain with us always as we return to the USA to spend more time with our grandchildren.

Thank you for your trust, your energy, and your belief in Oxford Saïd’s mission and in what we have built together.”

As announced last week, Professor Mette Morsing, current Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, will take up the role of Interim Dean from 22 September. Professor Morsing brings valuable business school experience, a track record of impactful research, and established connections across the University.

The University and the School’s leadership are working together to ensure a smooth transition.

Professor Timothy J Power

Head of the Social Sciences Division

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