Dean Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou Leaves a Lasting Impact on the Tepper School

Nearly six years ago, Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou arrived at a Carnegie Mellon campus that looked very different than it does today. At the start of her tenure as dean of the Tepper School of Business, the world was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, campus was closed, and as she has described it, she faced the unique challenge of forging relationships while working remotely.

Despite these circumstances, Bajeux immediately got to work.

Recognizing the need for a distinct vision to guide the Tepper School’s future, Bajeux led the creation of The Intelligent Future brand platform, as well as a new Strategic Plan for the school.

The branding platform showcased the Tepper School's unique approach to business education, bringing together analytics, technology, and emotional intelligence to prepare leaders for success. The brand became a guiding framework for how the school communicates its impact on the future of business and laid the foundation for the strategic planning process, a multi-year effort that included stakeholders from across the school. The Strategic Plan, launched in 2024, centers on a data informed/human-driven series of initiatives encompassing overarching themes of AI for Business, Economic Prosperity, and Entrepreneurial Pursuit.

“Strategic planning is only meaningful if it creates a lasting sense of direction,” Bajeux said. “Together, we developed a plan that balanced the Tepper School's strengths with our future goals. Seeing these priorities carry forward into the school's next chapter reinforces that this was never about a single tenure, but about building a foundation for the future.”

The next major order of business would be expanding the Tepper School’s portfolio of master’s programs to complement the flagship MBA program. The full-time MS in Business Analytics was launched in the Fall of 2022, and an MS in Management program followed in the Fall of 2024.

“AI is transforming the way organizations operate, and the pace of change will only continue to accelerate,” Bajeux said. “By maintaining a diverse portfolio of master’s programs, we can quickly respond to emerging trends, innovate our curriculum, and ensure our students are prepared for the future.”

In addition to expanding its programs, under Bajeux’s leadership, the school has also taken a comprehensive approach to integrating AI across teaching, research, and operations. Over the last few years, a Signature Initiative: Collaborative AI was developed, which includes simulations to give students immersive, real-world experiences. Numerous AI course offerings have also been added across programs, and both the MBA and Undergraduate Business Administration programs have added an AI concentration to its curriculum.

Bajeux has also been a devoted supporter of faculty research and thought leadership during her tenure. In the Spring of 2024, the school launched Tepperspectives, a thought leadership website that has since expanded to include video and podcast content, and has featured more than 50 articles from faculty and PhD students across disciplines. She also enhanced the Tepper School’s academic community by recruiting 35 new tenure-track and teaching-track faculty members.

In addition to all of these significant accomplishments, Bajeux also led the school in celebrating several key milestones and anniversaries, including the 75th Anniversary of the school and the 20th Anniversary of the Tepper School of Business naming.

As her tenure comes to a close on June 30, Bajeux plans to return to the Tepper School faculty, where she will focus on financial literacy education and research.