Ajay Khorana, Ph.D., has been named the new dean of Pace University’s Lubin School of Business and will begin his role on September 1, 2025. The appointment follows a nationwide search.
Pace University President Marvin Krislov said, “Ajay Khorana is a transformational leader who brings both real-world experience and academic depth to Pace. His global perspective and strategic vision will enhance Lubin’s programs and reputation and expand opportunities for our students and faculty, especially here in Lower Manhattan where our campus is just blocks from Wall Street and Citigroup’s global headquarters.”
Khorana previously worked as the global treasurer for Citigroup’s U.S. Personal Banking and Global Wealth businesses. He managed financial planning, risk management, and capital allocation for a $400 billion balance sheet at Citi. During his nearly two decades with the company, he also led the Financial Strategy Group advising major corporations on mergers, acquisitions, capital structure, shareholder strategy, and corporate governance.
Before joining Citigroup, Khorana spent over ten years in academia with teaching roles at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. His research has appeared in leading journals.
“It is an honor to join Pace University and lead the Lubin School of Business,” said Dean Khorana. “Lubin has a strong foundation of academic excellence and career preparation. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners to build on that legacy and drive continued innovation and impact. There’s no better place to connect business education with the center of the financial world.”
The Lubin School holds dual accreditation in business and accounting from AACSB International—an achievement held by less than 2 percent of business schools worldwide (https://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation). The school is recognized for its exemptions for ACCA certification in accounting (https://www.accaglobal.com/an/en/qualifications/accountancy-career/graduate-entry-route/exemptions.html), high rankings for online MBA programs by U.S. News & World Report (https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/online-mba-rankings), top ratings from The Princeton Review (https://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings?rankings=best-business-schools), recognition by CFA Institute (https://www.cfainstitute.org/en/programs/university-affiliation/find) and GARP (https://www.garp.org/risk-intelligence/education/university-partnership-program-directory), LinkedIn Top 100 MBA ranking (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-top-companies-2024-where-us-wants-work-now-linkedin-news-editorial-team-dzygf), No. 3 BBA in Arts & Entertainment Management by TopManagementDegree.com (https://www.topmanagementdegrees.com/rankings/best-bachelors-arts-entertainment-management/), best value executive-style doctoral program according to BestValueSchools.org (https://www.bestvalueschools.org/executive-phd-programs-in-business-administration/), No. 1 bachelor’s in human resources management in New York per College Factual (https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/human-resource-management/rankings/top-ranked/middle-atlantic/new-york/), as well as national recognition from UniversityHQ (https://universityhq.org/best-colleges/online-business-degrees/) and Online Master’s Colleges (OMC) (https://onlinemasterscolleges.com/best-online-masters-in-business-administration-mba-degree-programs).
Jonathan H. Hill, interim provost at Pace University said: “Dean Khorana brings exactly the kind of visionary leadership we need to shape the future of business education at Pace. His unique blend of high-level industry experience and academic integrity will serve as a catalyst for Lubin’s continued growth and global relevance.”
Khorana holds a Ph.D. in finance from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School; an MBA from Wake Forest University’s School of Business; a B.A. with honors in economics; and a minor in mathematics from the University of Delhi.
Pace University enrolls about 13,600 students across campuses in New York City and Westchester County.
