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We welcome Kieran Fernandes as Executive Dean and bid farewell to Cathy Cassell

7 April 2025
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We are delighted to welcome Professor Kieran Fernandes as our new Executive Dean, following the retirement of Professor Cathy Cassell.

Celebrating Professor Cassell’s leadership

Professor Cassell joined Durham University Business School as Executive Dean in 2022, following a distinguished five-year tenure as Dean of the University of Birmingham Business School. Her academic leadership extends internationally, having served on business accreditation review panels for AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. Recently, she was awarded a prestigious Fellowship by the Chartered Association of Business Schools in recognition of her outstanding contributions to global business education.

During her time at Durham, Professor Cassell championed initiatives that strengthened the School’s reputation and impact. Under her leadership:

  • The School maintained its triple-crown status, securing five-year re-accreditations from AMBA and AACSB.
  • It advanced its commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, moving from an Athena Swan Bronze to a Silver Award.
  • Enhanced sustainability and social purpose through research, business engagement, and community connections.
  • Two new Research Centres were established, and three major interdisciplinary programmes were launched.
  • The Executive Education portfolio expanded significantly.
  • The Waterside Building, a cutting-edge business education facility designed with sustainability at its core, opened and awarded a SKA Gold rating for its environmentally conscious design.

Reflecting on her time at Durham, Professor Cassell shared: “It has been my privilege to be part of Durham University Business School and to work alongside my academic and professional colleagues, corporate partners, and international advisors to deliver truly valuable learning experiences and programmes.”

We extend our deepest gratitude to Professor Cassell for her invaluable contributions and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Welcoming Professor Fernandes

Professor Fernandes steps into the role of Executive Dean after previously serving as Interim Executive Dean, Head of Department, and Professor of Operations Management at the School. More recently, he held the position of Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development and Engagement for Durham University.

As Executive Dean, Professor Fernandes is committed to building on the School’s strong foundations:

“Durham University Business School is distinguished by its world-class research culture, its commitment to enhancing the student experience, and its support for interdisciplinary initiatives that foster innovation. As a globally recognised institution, we are well-positioned to produce research of international significance and to nurture the next generation of global citizens.”

He has been instrumental in securing and extending the Business School’s links to both local and international industry, creating the means for students to learn directly from industry, for CEOs and entrepreneurs to benefit from faculty expertise and to boost innovation and business creation to support wider society. Alongside his role as Executive Dean, Professor Fernandes also serves as Executive Director of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) Innovation Observatory, further strengthening the School’s ties with business and policy leaders.

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