Georgia Southern University has named Dr. Avinandan (Avi) Mukherjee as its next provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, with his tenure set to begin on July 1. With over 16 years of advancing leadership roles in higher education, Dr. Mukherjee is known for his global academic impact and strategic vision.
Throughout his distinguished career, he has held vital academic leadership roles, including provost, chief academic officer at a public research institution, dean at two AACSB-accredited business schools, and head of a marketing department. His teaching portfolio spans undergraduate to doctoral programs, including MBAs and executive MBAs, across the U.S. and internationally.
Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero praised Dr. Mukherjee’s broad vision, citing his dedication to innovation, student achievement, and academic rigor as key factors aligning with the university’s mission. Before taking on his current role, Dr. Mukherjee was the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Marshall University starting in 2022. He also served as dean of the Lewis College of Business, where he spearheaded numerous transformative initiatives.
His leadership history includes roles at Clayton State University and Montclair State University, where he played a central role in building an interdisciplinary doctoral program in environmental management.
Calling the new role an “honor,” Mukherjee expressed enthusiasm about contributing to the university’s ongoing transformation and collaborating with faculty, students, and stakeholders in navigating the ever-changing educational landscape.
A prolific researcher and educator, Mukherjee’s work has been cited over 7,000 times, and he’s taught in nine countries. He has co-authored the book An Integrated Approach to Environmental Management and was the founding editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing.
Beyond academics, Mukherjee has led executive training programs and advised global firms in countries including the U.S., U.K., India, and Singapore. He has also served as president of both the Society for Advancement of Management and the Midwest Business Administration Association.
Mukherjee earned his Ph.D. in marketing from the Indian Institute of Management, with research contributions from MIT Sloan and ESSEC Business School. He also holds a graduate certificate from Harvard’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. Georgia Southern looks ahead with optimism as he prepares to lead its academic future.
