International Hospitality Consultant, Researcher, and Educator Nicolas Graf Named Associate Dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism
Nicolas Graf, PhD, was recently appointed associate dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism. Over the past 20 years, Graf has delivered executive education courses for companies in Asia, North and South America, and Europe, and has served as a consultant in the fields of asset management, strategic planning, and business development. Most recently, he served as chief academic officer of Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, a top-ranked hospitality and tourism management school, where he oversaw all faculty, academic programs, and admissions for the school's five campuses. Prior to this role, Graf served as managing director of Alain Ducasse Education & Consulting, and professor and director of the IMHI Center of Excellence in Hospitality, Food & Travel at ESSEC Business School in Paris. Before joining ESSEC, he was a professor at the University of Houston, a professor at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, and a visiting professor at NEOMA Business School. Graf's research as a scholar focuses on strategy and corporate finance. He has published in numerous academic journals, including the International Journal of Hospitality Management, the Real Estate Finance Journal, and the Journal of Retail and Leisure Property. He also has published a number of applied articles in industry journals and newsletters such as the HVS newsletter, hospitalitynet.com, ehotelier.com, tourismroi.com, and EHLITE Magazine. In his new role as associate dean of the Tisch Center, Graf will lead the Center in creating innovative curricula, engaging industry partners, and attracting high-quality students from around the world. He will work closely with NYUSPS Dean Dennis Di Lorenzo to develop and implement a strategic vision for the Center. Graf will officially assume his new role on January 1, 2018. Graf earned a PhD from the Pamplin College of Business of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with a concentration in corporate finance and strategic management. He earned an MBA from HEC Lausanne and from the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.