Dayton Business Journal: Wright State taps Drexel academic to lead Raj Soin College of Business

Rajneesh Suri was named dean of Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business.

One of the region’s largest universities has tapped an out-of-state academic leader to head its business school, marking a key leadership transition this summer.

Rajneesh Suri has been tapped from a high-level position at a Philadelphia university to lead Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business as its new dean.

He will assume the role from Dawn Conway, interim dean of the college, effective July 1.

Conway has been serving as interim dean for Wright State since August 2025, leading the dean search committee as co-chair as the university conducted a national search for a permanent dean. She said Suri’s experience as a creative leader, industry partner and researcher positions him to advance the college’s mission.

“Dr. Suri brings a unique combination of academic leadership, industry engagement and scholarly excellence,” Conway said. “His track record of building innovative, industry‑embedded learning models and advancing applied research directly aligns with the college’s mission. We are confident his vision and experience will elevate our programs, expand partnerships and create transformative opportunities for our students, faculty and the broader Dayton region.”

Suri’s most recent position was at Drexel University, where he served as both senior vice provost for academic industry partnerships and founding academic director of the Drexel Solutions Institute and the Innovation Engine.

During his time at Drexel, he founded the Center for Neuro-Business in Drexel’s LeBow College of Business, connecting faculty with industry partners on applied research and curriculum.

His responsibilities included providing strategic leadership for university-wide academic-industry engagement, connecting faculty and students with corporate, nonprofit and community partners through applied research, professional training and experiential learning opportunities.

Suri has also served in multiple leadership positions at the LeBow College of Business, including vice dean, vice dean for research and strategic partnerships and associate dean for research. He also taught marketing at the college, building upon his research background in pricing, consumer behavior and neuroimaging.

In terms of his own academic experiences, Suri earned a doctorate in marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Delhi.

He also brings industry experience from McKinsey & Company, Unilever and other global firms.

“Dr. Suri has spent his career creating learning environments where students work side‑by‑side with industry to solve real‑world challenges,” said Wright State Provost Jim Denniston. “His leadership in founding the Drexel Solutions Institute and designing the Innovation Engine has given countless students hands‑on experience through applied research, interdisciplinary coursework and industry‑sponsored projects. That same commitment to career‑ready, experiential learning will significantly expand opportunities for Wright State students and strengthen the talent pipeline for employers across the Dayton region.”

Suri said the Raj Soin College of Business’ experiential learning programming and regional partnerships align with his vision for business education.

“It is a privilege to join Wright State University and lead the Raj Soin College of Business,” he said. “With its strong foundation in experiential learning, deep ties to Dayton’s defense, health care and engineering ecosystem and commitment to student success, there is no better place to connect business education to real-world challenges. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, alumni and external partners to build on these strengths and empower learners to gain the skills and real-world experience needed to thrive, lead, innovate and create lasting impact.”

Read the article at bizjournals.com/dayton.