1. UWA Home
  2. UWA Alumni
  3. Emeriti Professors College

Phil Dolan is Professor and Executive Director of the Institute for the Future of Business, a joint venture between Melbourne University’s Faculty of Business and Economics and the Melbourne Business School. The Institute facilitates access for external organisations to the full range of the university’s resources (research, teaching, industry engagement, and students) using a partnership model. He is also an active angel investor with a focus on female founded startups. He was previously Dean of the Business School at The University of Western Australia, and before entering academia worked for over a decade in the Investment Management arm of Macquarie Bank. His education includes degrees in Mathematics, IT, Business and a PhD in Finance from Stanford University. He is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Most important experiences while at UWA

An opportunity to work with terrific colleagues all committed to making the UWA Business School genuinely world-class.

Where did you think you would end up, when you began your career?

I always intended to end up in academia but took almost 20 years to get there after a career in finance.

What are some of your most significant achievements?

I was extremely fortunate to do my PhD under the supervision of a Nobel Prize-winner. He was a tremendous role model who encouraged me to pursue my studies and to "give back" to the next generation.

What has been the most interesting aspect of your career?

Combining academic rigour with the relevance that comes from working in industry. I have always been fortunate to work with talented, committed colleagues.

Where are you planning to go from here? Are there new interests you are looking to get involved in?

I am setting up a new Institute for the Future of Business at the University of Melbourne. I am also an active "angel investor" in female founded startup businesses. I also have an interest in art history especially the Dutch and Flemish Old Masters.