Deans Counsel

Deans Counsel


72: Oliver Yao (Delaware) on Leading at a Fast Pace

October 03, 2025

On this episode of Deans Counsel, hosts Ken Kring and Jim Ellis speak with Oliver Yao, Dean of the University of Delaware's Lerner College of Business and Economics, a role he took on in August 2023.


Oliver Yao’s research interests are in the inter-disciplinary fields of information systems and supply chain management, including business value of IT-enabled supply chains, economics of electronic and mobile commerce, bullwhip effect and VMI, CPFR and CRM. His publications have appeared in Management Science, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Marketing Science, Operations Research, Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, among others.


In an interview that moves almost as quickly as Oliver does, he shares with our hosts his thoughts and experiences regarding:


- the overwhelm and challenges he faced early on in his role at Lerner

- his approach to setting priorities - especially in the face of financial constraints

- how Oliver's background in information systems influences his strategic planning

- philanthropy and how he learned to embrace it - quickly


Learn more about Oliver Yao


Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note!


Thanks for listening.


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Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts


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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.


James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)


David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)


Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry


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