Haya Ajjan, Dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of BusinessHaya Ajjan began service as dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business in 2025, building on more than a decade of teaching and administrative leadership at Elon University. A nationally recognized scholar of management information systems—and one of Poets & Quants’ “Best Undergraduate Business Professors”—Ajjan now guides the Love School toward its next chapter of technology-driven innovation and student-centered impact.

Ajjan joined Elon’s faculty in 2010 and served as associate dean from 2021 to 2025. In that role she founded the Center for Business Analytics, steered the launch of the undergraduate Business Analytics major, and championed the creation of the FinTech major—initiatives that deepened industry partnerships and expanded experiential learning in high-demand fields. Earlier roles included a visiting appointment at UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business and technology consulting work for Duke Energy.

Her research investigates how emerging technologies reshape organizations and society. Recent publications introduce an ethical-decision framework for artificial intelligence, develop machine-learning techniques to detect deception in online reviews, and examine the productivity effects of remote work.

Ajjan’s ideas extend well beyond the printed page. In 2025 she presented “What Happens to Learning When Generative AI Can See, Hear and Speak?” at the AI in Business Education Summit hosted by William & Mary and led Harvard Business Publishing’s masterclass on practical AI tools for teaching. She previously facilitated the AACSB Associate Deans Conference workshop “GenAI for Productivity and Well-being,” guiding academic leaders in responsible adoption of emerging tools.

Education

  • Ph.D., Information Technology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    M.B.A., Information Technology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    B.B.A., Management Information Systems & Industrial Operations, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  • What others are saying

  • “Dr. Ajjan’s dedication, vision and leadership make this appointment well deserved, and it will be exciting to see the many ways she will shape Elon University’s future.”
    – Stephanie Bryant, Ph.D., Executive Vice President & Chief Accreditation Officer, AACSB International

    “Dr. Ajjan’s passion, innovative mindset and dedication promise to bring significant impact to Elon University and its students. The real-world perspective she and the faculty bring to the classroom is engaging and deeply impactful for the student experience.”
    – Suzanne Dann, Chief Executive Officer Americas – Wipro

    “Dr. Ajjan’s vision, dedication and relentless drive to be the best will bring even greater success to students, faculty, the Love School of Business and the university.”
    – Ed Doherty P’07, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Doherty Enterprises and Member, Elon University Board of Trustees

    “Dr. Haya Ajjan will be an inspiring leader as dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. She deeply understands Elon’s culture of excellence, innovation and student-centeredness because she has been such a culture-shaping figure on campus as professor and associate dean.”
    – Leo M. Lambert, President Emeritus and Professor

    “Dr. Ajjan is remarkably committed to developing students who are academically accomplished and workforce ready. She cultivates strong and lasting relationships with industry, ensuring that students gain real-world experience and opportunities to engage directly with leading organizations.”
    – Benjamin R. Martin, Ph.D., Vice President, Data, Analytics & AI, Hanesbrands Inc.

    “Elon is incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Haya Ajjan as dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Her exceptional teaching, leadership and business acumen made her the clear choice in a nationwide search. With Dr. Ajjan at the helm, Elon is well-positioned to lead in today’s fast-moving business world and to elevate the student experience for years to come.”

    – Dave Porter P’11 P’19, Managing Partner, Baystate Financial and Member, Elon University Board of Trustees