Honorary Doctors of the 17th Conferment of the School of Business
Aalto University School of Business is conferring ten new Honorary Doctors, along with the associated insignia, at the Ceremonial Conferment in May 2026. These new Honorary Doctors are significant societal influencers, highly accomplished in their fields of science, or have closely collaborated with the academic staff of the School of Business and its six departments.
The title of Honorary Doctor will be given to the following distinguished individuals:
W. Robert Knechel
W. Robert Knechel is a world leader in accounting and auditing research. He has published a considerable number of articles in the world's leading accounting journals and has also served and continues to serve as an editor of the leading journals in the field. Knechel has conducted excellent research in collaboration with professors at the School of Business and has also reciprocally hosted them at the University of Florida.
Robert Knechel was a member of the panel at the 2023 International Auditing Symposium of the European Accounting Association, (EAA), hosted by the School of Business. He has given presentations at various events at the School of Business, even before Aalto University, and has provided valuable support to young researchers and doctoral students as a commentator.
Xueming Luo
Dr. Xueming Luo is Charles Gilliland Distinguished Chair Professor of Marketing, Professor of Strategic Management, and Professor of Management Information Systems at the Fox School of Business of Temple University, USA. He is an interdisciplinary thought-leader in digital marketing, customer analytics, social media, mobile targeting, platform economy, and social-political activism. Between 2015 and 2024, he has ranked among the top 10 scholars globally, in terms of the number of research articles published in the top scientific journals in the field of marketing. His research, leveraging e.g. AI and machine learning algorithms, and big data, provides actionable insights to managers.
From 2012 to 2014, Dr. Luo served as a Visiting Professor at the School of Business, providing keynotes at research seminars, instructing doctoral researchers, and collaborating with the school’s faculty members. After 2014, Dr. Luo’s continuing collaboration with Aalto faculty led to several co-authored publications, including the first-ever publications in the Journal of Marketing with authors affiliated with Aalto University. This marked an important new milestone in the international research reputation of the school.
George Mailath
George Mailath is Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania since 2003. He has made seminal contributions to the theory of repeated and dynamic games and to evolutionary economics. His textbook Repeated Games and Reputations: Long-Run Relationships (jointly written with Larry Samuelson) remains on the list of required readings for advanced graduate students.
Professor Mailath has also distinguished himself as a supervisor. His students serve in leading academic roles in top international universities including three professors at Aalto University School of Business. He was elected a Fellow of the Econometric Society in 1995 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012.
Claus Munk
Claus Munk, Professor at Copenhagen Business School, has been teaching the Theoretical Asset Pricing course in the doctoral program in finance for over 20 years. All doctoral students who have graduated from the Department of Finance at the School of Business over the past 20 years have gained knowledge and inspiration for their research in the field from this course. Professor Munk has also focused on the theme of Theoretical Asset Pricing in his research work.
He has published in leading journals in the field, such as the Journal of Financial Economics, Management Science, JFQA, Journal of Economic Theory, and Review of Finance. He has also written two textbooks for Oxford University Press, one of which, Financial Asset Pricing Theory, is used in doctoral programs around the world, including at top American universities. Through his teaching, Professor Munk has made a significant contribution to the Department of Finance at the School of Business and, more broadly, to doctoral education in the field of finance in Finland.
Arto Mäenmaa
Arto Mäenmaa, M.Sc. (Econ.), serves as the Executive Director of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and Wihuri Foundation for International Prizes. He has held these positions since 1998. In addition to his role at the Wihuri Foundations, Arto Mäenmaa served as the CEO of the Helsinki School of Economics Support Foundation for over thirty years, until the autumn of 2025. The mission of these foundations is fostering the Finnish society: the Support Foundation through business studies and the Wihuri Foundations through a multidisciplinary approach. Arto Mäenmaa has had a significant role in the long-term development of the School of Business as well as research, arts, and societal activities in Finland.
Arto Mäenmaa is an alum of the School of Business. He also completed an Executive MBA degree at Aalto University Executive Education in the 1990s. Arto Mäenmaa holds numerous positions of trust in companies and in the third sector. For example, he has been active on the boards of the Aalto Executive Education Ltd, Diacor Ltd, Association of Finnish Foundations, and Deaconess Foundation, as well as an advisor in the War Disabled Veterans Association.
Alexander Stubb
President of the Republic Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is the 13th President of the Republic of Finland. He took office on March 1, 2024. Previously, Stubb served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2011, Minister for Foreign Trade and European Affairs from 2011 to 2014, Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015, and Minister of Finance from 2015 to 2016. He also served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2008, a Member of Parliament from 2011 to 2017, and Chairman of the National Coalition Party from 2014 to 2016. From 2017 to 2020, Alexander Stubb served as Vice President of the European Investment Bank. He was then appointed professor and director of the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. As President of the Republic, Alexander Stubb has often addressed issues related to business and industry and significantly strengthened Finland's international position. He has supported the growth of companies through active export promotion activities.
Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae
Suvanto-Harsaae is a Finnish-Danish business leader and board professional. She chairs several Finnish and Danish companies and is a member of the board of several other organizations, such as the Danish think tank CEPOS. She was also the founding member of the Den danske Ukraine comité, which raises funds for the defense of Ukraine.
Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae is a member of the International Advisory Board of the School of Business, significantly contributing to the development of the School with her versatile experience and strong business acumen. Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae has ties to academia also from the Copenhagen Business School where she has taught practical board work. She recognizes the considerable role of business schools for the society and emphasizes the importance of international corporate collaboration.
Salla Vainio
Board professional Salla Vainio has served as CEO of the Helsinki School of Economics Support Foundation since September 1, 2025. Salla Vainio has extensive experience both as a CEO and on the boards of several companies. She was the CEO of Sanoma Pro, the law firm Fondia, and most recently of Marketing Clinic. Since January 2023, Salla Vainio has served as Chair of the Board of Save the Children Finland.
She has supported the School of Business significantly in many ways as an alum of the School. She was nominated the School of Business Alum of the Year in 2016 and the Chair of the School’s Alumni Advisory Board for 2017 and 2018. Salla Vainio was active in developing the School already during her studies when she served as the Chair of the Board of the student union (KY). She, among other accomplishments, participated in founding the School’s Career Services and recruitment fair. She has also been appointed as member of the current Honorary Delegation of the KY association.
Gyula Vastag
Gyula Vastag is a Professor Emeritus and Senior Academic Advisor at Ludovika University of Public Service (Budapest, Hungary), with an illustrious international academic career spanning over four decades. Previously, he served as Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of the SzEEDSM Doctoral Program at Széchenyi University, Vice-Rector for Research at Corvinus University of Budapest, and Director of MBA programs in Germany, the CEU Business School, and Corvinus University.
Professor Vastag has been instrumental in institutional development, leading strategic reforms, advancing accreditation, securing research funding, and enhancing academic reputation and performance. He is renowned globally for his scholarly contributions and has held key leadership roles in various international professional organizations, including Vice President positions at POMS, DSI, EurOMA, and ISIR. A founding figure of the EDSI, he served two terms as its President. Additionally, he has evaluated logistics and supply chain management tenure-track appointments at the Aalto School of Business (2012–2013) and contributed through his teaching and mentorship in master’s and doctoral programs.
Eleanor Westney
Eleanor Westney, Professor Emerita at the MIT Sloan School of Management (US) and the Schulich School of Business (Canada), is a leading scholar renowned for her work in international business, organizational theory, and Japanese studies. Her research has greatly enhanced the understanding of multinational corporations by applying institutional theory and, more recently, the concept of organizational translation.
Her interdisciplinary approach integrates perspectives from sociology, cultural studies, economics, and international management, contributing to a multifaceted understanding of organizational and environmental dynamics. Throughout the years, she has made significant contributions to the School of Business by serving, e.g., as Distinguished Visiting Professor from 2014 to 2017.
Honorary doctors at Aalto University
All the conferred Honorary Doctors at Aalto University and the preceding universities of technology, business, and arts and design.
Honorary doctors at Aalto University
All the conferred Honorary Doctors at Aalto University and the preceding universities of technology, business, and arts and design.
