Yan “Anthea” Zhang, the Fayez Sarofim Vanguard Chair Professor of Strategy at the Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, has been selected as a fellow of the Strategic Management Society (SMS), a distinction honoring members of the society who have made significant contributions to the theory and practice of strategic management.
“We are so proud that Anthea has been selected as a fellow of the Strategic Management Society. It’s a great honor, well deserved and a reflection on her leadership in the field,” said Peter Rodriguez, dean of the Jones School. “While we intentionally build a culture of support and resources for our faculty, it is Anthea’s creative approach to her research and its relevant connection to business and the workplace that earned her a place with such a distinguished group of scholars.”
Zhang’s research is focused on CEO succession and corporate governance of publicly traded companies as well as foreign direct investment and technological entrepreneurship in emerging markets, notably China.
Her research has been published in top academic journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing and Journal of International Business Studies. She is widely cited in top business media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, The Economist, Business Week, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today and the Financial Times.
Zhang is president-elect of the Strategic Management Society and serves as associate editor of Strategic Management Journal. She came to Rice in 2001 and has received the Strategic Management Society Emerging Scholar Award (2010), served as an associate editor of the Academy of Management Journal and served on the board of directors of the International Corporate Governance Society during her tenure.
Peter Rodriguez, the Houston Endowment Dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University, has been named the 2025 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year, a national honor recognizing visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to business education.
In less than a decade, Rodriguez has transformed Rice Business in nearly every dimension. Beyond creating a thriving undergraduate offering, he has overseen a 192% increase in student enrollment. The growth stems from a doubling of MBA students and the launch of an online MBA—the university’s first online degree—along with a hybrid MBA option.
Rice University professor Mikki Hebl says job seekers’ willingness to accept lower pay and roles reflects a softer labor market and shifting values toward flexibility, balance, and meaningful work.