U.Va. Darden names interim dean

Mike Lenox is serving as interim dean of the University of Virginia‘s Darden School of Business as the school’s former dean assumes the university presidency.

Lenox, the Tayloe Murphy professor of business administration, was named interim dean as Scott Beardsley became U.Va.’s 10th president. The timing of Beardsley’s appointment caused controversy in Virginia politics, as Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and faculty groups had called for the university board to pause the process.

U.Va. interim Provost Brie Gertler sent a message to “the Darden community” about Lenox’s new role on Tuesday, according to U.Va. spokesperson Bethanie Glover.

The university is “preparing to launch a global search for the 10th dean of Darden,” according to Gertler’s message, with the expectation that the new dean will begin by fall 2026. Lenox told Gertler he will not be a candidate for the permanent post, she wrote.

“Mike has the experience, acumen, integrity, and deep familiarity with Darden’s values and programs to propel Darden forward,” Gertler wrote, “and I am deeply grateful for his willingness to serve in this critically important role.”

At Darden, Lenox is a senior adviser to the dean, leading special projects, and a special adviser to the provost. The inaugural Donna and Richard Tadler university chair of entrepreneurship, he launched and leads entrepreneurship initiative UVA Innovates. Lenox has also served as Darden’s senior associate dean and chief strategy officer, associate dean of innovation programs and academic director of Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology.

Lenox joined Darden in 2008 from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he was a tenured professor and held several leadership roles. Before that, he was an assistant professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

An author or co-author of five books, Lenox received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia. He earned his doctorate in technology management and policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999.