Jonathan Levin, dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, has been appointed the 13th president of Stanford University.

Levin is a distinguished economist and a Stanford alumnus who has led the business school for the last eight years. He was appointed by the Stanford University Board of Trustees last week.

Jerry Yang, board chair, said Levin was the unanimous choice of a 20-member search committee and of the trustees. Levin will become president effective Aug. 1.

“Jon brings a rare combination of qualities: a deep understanding and love of Stanford, an impressive track record of academic and leadership success, the analytical prowess to tackle complex strategic issues, and a collaborative and optimistic working style,” Yang said in a statement. “He is consistently described by those who know him as principled, humble, authentic, thoughtful, and inspiring. We are excited about Stanford’s future under Jon’s leadership.”

Levin, 51, has been a member of the Stanford faculty since 2000. The winner in 2011 of the John Bates Clark Medal, an award recognizing the most outstanding American economist under the age of 40, Levin today is the Philip H. Knight Professor and dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He also serves as a member of President Biden’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

“I am grateful and humbled to be asked to lead Stanford – a university that has meant so much to me for more than three decades,” Levin said in a statement. “When I was an undergraduate, Stanford opened my mind, nurtured my love for math and literature, and inspired me to pursue an academic career. In the years since, it has given me opportunities to pursue ideas in collaboration with brilliant colleagues, teach exceptional students, and bring people together to achieve ambitious collective goals around the university.”

“As I look to Stanford’s future, I’m excited to strengthen our commitment to academic excellence and freedom; to foster the principles of openness, curiosity, and mutual respect; and to lead our faculty and students as they advance knowledge and seek to contribute in meaningful ways to the world.”

Levin will succeed Richard Saller, who has served as Stanford’s president on an interim basis since September 2023.

Debra Satz, member of the Presidential Search Committee and dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences said of Levin: “As dean of the Graduate School of Business, Jon has emphasized the highest standards of research and integrity and modeled a love of learning. With his experience leading the GSB and his background as a faculty member in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Jon also brings a broad understanding of Stanford’s approach to undergraduate education, doctoral programs, and graduate professional education.”

With Levin’s appointment as president, a search will be undertaken by the provost for his successor as dean of the Graduate School of Business.

Jonathan Levin at a glance:

• Born 1972, New Haven, Conn.
• BA English, BS Mathematics, Stanford University
• MPhil Economics, Oxford University
• PhD Economics, MIT
• Stanford faculty member since 2000
• Chair, Stanford Department of Economics, 2011-14
• Member, President Biden’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2021-present
• Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences; John Bates Clark Medal as the outstanding American economist under the age of 40; Fulbright Scholar; Sloan Research Fellow; Guggenheim Fellow; Stanford Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching; Poets and Quants business school Dean of the Year.
• Wife Amy Levin, physician. Three children.