Rakesh Khurana

Rakesh Khurana is the Danoff Dean of Harvard College, Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership Development at Harvard Business School, and professor of sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Khurana’s research uses a sociological perspective to focus on the processes by which elites and leaders are selected and developed. A distinguished scholar of organizational behavior and leadership, he has written extensively about the CEO labor market and business education. He also co-edited The Handbook for Leadership Theory and Practice and The Handbook for Teaching Leadership, seminal texts on leadership theory and pedagogical practice.

An award-winning teacher, Khurana has been recognized for his commitment to pedagogy, twice earning the Charles M. Williams Award for Excellence in Teaching (in 2008 and 2012) and receiving a nomination for the Star Family Prize for Excellence in Advising in 2013.

Khurana has been deeply involved in undergraduate issues throughout his time at Harvard, having served on a number of important policy committees.

Khurana received his BS from Cornell University and earned his PhD from Harvard University through a joint program of Harvard Business School and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences