Richard Smith, PhD

Rick Smith is the vice dean for education and partnerships as well as a professor of practice. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins University, he served as the deputy dean of education programs at Singapore Management University, where he was also a professor of strategic management.

Prior to joining academia on a full-time basis, Rick spent more than 30 years in business, primarily in the consulting industry as a senior partner with Accenture, where he held a variety of leadership roles across industries, geographies, and services. During his business career, Rick has had the opportunity to live and work in Asia, Europe, and America with more than 15 years in the growth markets of China, Singapore, India, and Indonesia. In addition to his work with global firms, he also served as the CEO of a start-up in China and has supported several entrepreneurial ventures.

Underpinning Rick’s research and teaching interests is the focus on human capital as a strategic resource for competitive advantage. He teaches graduate courses on Strategic Management and Human Capital Leadership. As a frequent guest speaker and executive education instructor Rick is the proud recipient of numerous teaching awards. Rick’s work on cross-border leadership provided significant media attention in Asia where he was featured as a guest on CNBC’s ‘Squawk box’ and ‘Talk Asia.’ Recently, he turned his attention to management education and co-authored the book, Rethinking the Business Models of Business Schools.