Richard Lyons appointed by regents as new chancellor of UC Berkeley
BERKELEY – Richard Lyons, a University of California, Berkeley alumnus and former dean of the Haas School of Business, has been appointed the next chancellor of the campus, the UC Board of Regents announced Wednesday.
Lyons will succeed Carol Christ, who has led the campus since 2017 and will step down at the end of June.
"We are thrilled to name Richard Lyons as the campus's next chancellor," UC president Michael Drake said in a statement. "Rich is a UC Berkeley alumnus and a respected academic leader who brings deep campus and community relationships and a proven track-record of garnering support for impactful programs and initiatives."
A native of Los Altos, Lyons has a long history with the Cal campus, graduating in 1982 with a degree in business and finance.
After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in economics and teaching at Columbia Business School, Lyons returned to Berkeley in 1993 as a professor of economics and finance.
Lyons became dean of the business school in 2008, following two years at Goldman Sachs as the firm's chief learning officer. More recently, he was named UC Berkeley's chief innovation and entrepreneurship officer.
"Berkeley is one-of-a-kind, and I will endeavor to honor its traditions and history while guiding the campus into its next chapter and growing its impact," Lyons said in a statement. "Together with the campus community, we will build on Berkeley's distinctive values and excellence to ensure that it continues to be the campus of choice for the very best students, staff, and faculty alike."
Outgoing chancellor Christ said "In so many ways, Rich embodies Berkeley's very best attributes, and his dedication to the university's public mission and values could not be stronger. I am confident he will bring to the office visionary aspirations for Berkeley's future that are informed by, and deeply respectful of, our past."
The incoming chancellor has earned multiple accolades, receiving the school's Distinguished Teacher Award in 1998 and the Berkeley Citation in 2018.
According to the UC Regents, Lyons will earn an annual salary of $946,450, equivalent to current chancellor Christ's salary plus $220,000 in private funds.
