CEIBS officially welcomed Prof. Léon Laulusa as Vice President and Dean at an August 27 installation ceremony on its Shanghai campus. The event featured addresses from school leaders, and Prof. Laulusa brings experience from ESCP and a focus on AI in education.
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China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) officially welcomed Professor Léon Laulusa to its leadership team as Vice President and Dean at an Installation Ceremony held on the school’s Shanghai campus on August 27.
The ceremony was attended both in person and online by Prof. Ding Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CEIBS Chairman; Prof. Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD Global and CEIBS Vice Chairman; CEIBS Presidents Emeriti Li Mingjun, Dipak Jain, and Dominique Turpin; Prof. Frank Bournois, CEIBS Co-President (European); Prof. Léon Laulusa, the newly appointed CEIBS Vice President and Dean; Prof. Zhu Tian, CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean; Ma Lei, CEIBS Secretary of the CPC Committee; and faculty members and staff representatives from CEIBS’ five campuses. The ceremony was presided over by CEIBS President Prof. Wang Hong.
President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CEIBS Chairman Ding Kuiling
The Installation Ceremony began with addresses from CEIBS Chairman and President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Prof. Ding Kuiling and CEIBS Vice Chairman & President of EFMD Global Prof. Eric Cornuel.
CEIBS Chairman Prof. Ding Kuiling extended a warm welcome to Prof. Laulusa, whom he described as a distinguished scholar and leader in global management education. Prof. Ding noted that Prof. Laulusa previously served as Executive President and Dean of ESCP Business School, was named "Best Dean of the Year among French Business Schools", and has been appointed to the rank of Knight of the French Legion of Honour. Prof. Ding also highlighted Prof. Laulusa’s long-standing ties to both CEIBS and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, adding that he had helped launch the Global Master in Management (Global MiM) dual-degree programme jointly offered by CEIBS and ESCP and currently serves on the Strategic Advisory Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Antai College of Economics and Management. He also praised CEIBS’ achievements in academic development, international engagement, and governance through the joint efforts of Presidents Wang Hong and Frank Bournois. He expressed confidence that, with Prof. Laulusa joining the leadership team, CEIBS’ Management Committee—combining Chinese experience, European heritage, and a global perspective—will lead the school to continued success while nurturing a new generation of global business leaders with deep China knowledge.
President of EFMD Global and CEIBS Vice Chairman Prof. Eric Cornuel delivers remarks online
Prof. Cornuel then offered his own remarks, outlining the challenging environment facing CEIBS in a world defined by increased competition between economic systems, an increasingly fragmented global landscape, and the power of artificial intelligence to transform the worlds of work and academia. “In such a world,” Prof. Cornuel said, “CEIBS’ role becomes all the more necessary; when societies understand one another less, education must help them understand one another more.” Highlighting CEIBS’ unique ability to provide stability and consensus as a bridge between China and Europe, Prof. Cornuel continued: “CEIBS does not have to choose between China and Europe. CEIBS is China and Europe. That is our history. That is our identity. And that is our strength.” Concluding by expressing his confidence in Prof. Laulusa, Prof. Cornuel addressed him directly: “This responsibility now passes to you, and I know you understand both its privilege and its weight. I wish you success—for our faculty, our students, our alumni, our partners, and for the unique mission that CEIBS represents.”
Presentation of the Letter of Appointment
These addresses were followed by a formal presentation of the Letter of Appointment from Prof. Ding to Prof. Laulusa.
CEIBS President Wang Hong
CEIBS President Wang Hong then delivered her own remarks, extending a warm welcome and sincere congratulations to Prof. Laulusa on behalf of the school's faculty and staff. She noted that Prof. Laulusa brings deep academic expertise and extensive international management experience to CEIBS, with a strong understanding of both European business school traditions and management education in China. His appointment, she said, marks a continuation of the longstanding partnership between CEIBS and ESCP and reflects the schools' shared aspirations for the future. As global management education evolves, AI advances rapidly, and international talent mobility shifts, she went on, CEIBS is advancing eight new strategic priorities and accelerating the development of an “AI + HI” (artificial intelligence plus human intelligence) model spanning teaching, research, and governance. She expressed confidence that Prof. Laulusa’s cross-cultural leadership experience and expertise in digital transformation will bring fresh perspectives and momentum to the school's internationalisation and AI strategies, as he works with the CEIBS community to advance the school's leadership in global management education and build stronger bridges between China and Europe through business, academic, and cultural exchange.
CEIBS Co-President (European) Frank Bournois
These remarks were followed by reflections from CEIBS Co-President (European) Frank Bournois, who spoke about his long-standing relationship with Prof. Laulusa and expressed his confidence that “the deanship is in excellent hands.” He highlighted Prof. Laulusa’s deep commitment to China-Europe relations, describing it as part of his “intellectual and professional DNA,” and praised the combination of “very deep human care, internationalisation and crisis management” that he has demonstrated throughout his career. Turning to CEIBS’ role “at the intersection of China and the world,” Prof. Bournois emphasised the importance of understanding different cultures and intellectual traditions, noting that “China and Europe have much more in common than they think.” He also reflected on Prof. Laulusa’s leadership qualities, saying, “You spend a lot of time, in what I have seen, moving quickly, anticipating, building.” Looking ahead, he expressed his enthusiasm for Prof. Laulusa joining CEIBS for its next chapter, describing him as “an extra bridge toward the bigger bridge between China and Europe, which our school represents,” and concluding: “I’m very happy that you are taking over as Dean and that you will succeed even more than I have done, because I think that in leadership what counts is improvement and collective achievement.”
CEIBS Vice President & Co-Dean Zhu Tian
Vice President and Co-Dean Zhu Tian then welcomed Prof. Laulusa on behalf of the school's faculty, expressing his pleasure at having him join CEIBS and his confidence in their future partnership. He noted that Prof. Laulusa’s extensive experience in international business education comes at an important time for the school, as CEIBS builds on its achievements of the past three decades while continuing to focus on “the quality of its faculty, its intellectual contribution, the quality of its students and graduates, and its impact on business and society.” Prof. Zhu also emphasised CEIBS’ distinctive mission of being “deeply rooted in China and at the same time firmly committed to being an international business school,” noting that maintaining this balance is essential to the school’s future and identity. Looking ahead to working together, he described the Dean and Co-Dean arrangement as “a partnership” based on trust, communication and patience, adding that the value of such a partnership comes from “bringing different experiences and perspectives to the table, discussing issues openly and ultimately finding solutions that are best for the institution.” He concluded by expressing confidence that, with the support of the school’s leadership and in close collaboration with faculty and staff, they could “further strengthen our teaching and research and take CEIBS to new heights,” and wished Prof. Laulusa “every success” in his new role. "Whatever challenges we may face," Prof. Zhu concluded, "CEIBS now has a new and experienced leader to turn to."
Newly appointed CEIBS Vice President and Dean Léon Laulusa
The event concluded with Prof. Laulusa offering his own remarks on his appointment. He began by expressing his gratitude for the trust placed in him, describing his appointment as “an extraordinary privilege” that he received not as a title, but as “a profound responsibility” that he intended to honour through his work and dedication. Reflecting on his first visit to Shanghai as a PhD student in 1997, he spoke of his longstanding connection to the city and to CEIBS, and paid tribute to the school’s faculty and staff, noting that “excellence here is not an accident; it comes from a united community.”
Looking ahead, Prof. Laulusa turned to the implications of artificial intelligence for management education, arguing that, today, “knowledge is instant, knowledge is abundant and occasionally wrong with tremendous confidence,” and that education must therefore focus not simply on accumulating facts, but on developing “the clarity to navigate them and the character to guide them wisely.” He outlined a number of commitments for CEIBS, including rethinking assessment in the age of AI, ensuring that AI becomes a tool in the classroom while preserving the value of intellectual effort, and equipping students and alumni to learn and relearn throughout their careers. Returning to CEIBS’ role as a bridge between China and Europe, he emphasised that “a bridge is not a neutral object; a bridge is a choice. It must be built, maintained, defended, and walked across in both directions.” Concluding on a personal note, he recalled the young PhD student who arrived in Shanghai nearly three decades ago and said, “He is still looking today, but the greatest gift of my life is that I’m no longer looking alone; I am looking with you all.”
President Wang then concluded the ceremony by emphasising the significance of Prof. Laulusa’s appointment. Over the past three decades, she said, generations of outstanding faculty and leaders in management education have come together at CEIBS, advancing its mission of pursuing “China Depth, Global Breadth” and strengthening its position as a truly international business school. As the school embarks on its 15th Five-Year Plan period, she added, CEIBS will build on this legacy, unite around a shared vision, and forge ahead toward its goal of becoming the most respected international business school in the world.
Prior to arriving at CEIBS, Prof. Laulusa served as Executive President and Dean of ESCP Business School from June 2023. Earlier in his career, he held several senior leadership roles at ESCP, including Dean of Academic Affairs and International Relations, Dean of the Paris and Warsaw campuses, and Dean of the Dubai branch campus. In 2025, he was named "Best Dean of the Year among French Business Schools" by the media outlet L’essentiel du Sup and was appointed Knight of the French Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur), France's highest distinction. As a Professor in Financial Reporting and Audit since 1999, he teaches financial accounting, audit, corporate governance, leadership, and management practices in China.
Prof. Laulusa’s research focuses on cultural influences on accounting, management, and leadership. He advises top executives on strategic implementation, strategic performance, and finance, and serves on the Board of Directors at CFJ Paris (Journalism) and of Campus France. He is also a member of the Advisory Boards of institutions including the Military Academy of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan (France), Shanghai Jiaotong Antai School (China), MDI (India), and Kozminski University (Poland). Additionally, he is Vice-President for International Relations at the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE). Previously, Prof. Laulusa lectured at HEC Paris and Paris-Dauphine University, and was a visiting professor at Tongji University (Shanghai) and Beijing Foreign Studies University. He has held senior roles as a Partner at Deloitte France, focusing on financial services and serving as a leading member of its China Desk, and has served as Managing Partner at BDO, overseeing international finance and audit projects, particularly in Asia. He holds the Habilitation degree (a post-doctoral degree supervising research) from the University of Angers, a PhD in Management Science from Paris-Dauphine University, an MBA from the IAE de Paris - Panthéon-Sorbonne University, and the French Chartered Accounting degree (DEC). He also completed the International Teachers Programme (ITP) at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
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