Ivey is excited to welcome several new faculty members to campus this year! To get to know our new colleagues, we asked them some questions to learn about their interests inside and outside the classroom.
Get to know: Seemantini Pathak
Seemantini Pathak is an Associate Professor of Strategy and the Ihnatowycz Family Foundation Chair in Leadership, with a cross-appointment at the Thompson Centre for Engineering Leadership and Innovation. Prior to joining Ivey, she was on the faculty at the University of Missouri – St. Louis and the University of Houston, where she taught at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. Her areas of research include strategic leadership, corporate governance, corporate strategy and scope, and corporate social responsibility. Pathak is teaching Cross-Enterprise Leadership and HBA1 Strategy at Ivey as well as a leadership course for engineering graduate students.
Q&A with Seemantini Pathak
How do you feel about being the Ihnatowycz Family Chair?
Honoured, excited, curious – and a deep sense of responsibility.
What excites you about this opportunity?
This opportunity aligns with my deep interest in studying strategic leadership from a holistic perspective. In my past research, I have explored how organizational leaders make strategic decisions, considering factors such as their backgrounds, competencies, and the contexts they operate within. I’m looking forward to continuing this work and taking it to the next level by collaborating with Ivey's Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, for instance, by delving deeper into the profound influence of leaders' character on their decision-making and how they navigate complex, real-world leadership challenges.
Furthermore, my joint appointment with the Thompson Centre for Engineering Leadership and Innovation, and connection with the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering offers a unique opportunity to bridge the worlds of leadership and innovation. I'm enthusiastic about fostering research that explores how organizational leadership impacts the innovation process. Equally important, I'm looking forward to playing a role in shaping the next generation of engineers and managers. By instilling in them, not just technical knowledge, but also the vital qualities of leader character and competence from the very beginning of their careers, we have the potential to create a new generation of leaders who will not only excel in their fields, but also make a positive impact on society.
What is the most important thing business executives can learn from your research/area of expertise?
My research can help executives understand how their cognitive biases, relationships, and psychological mechanisms influence their decision-making through their environment and past experiences. This is in contrast to traditional assumptions of rational decision-making in strategic management.
Where did you grow up and what was it like there?
I grew up in Ahmedabad, one of India’s vibrant urban centers. In Ahmedabad, one can travel through time – the ‘old’ city is filled with traditional bazaars, historic buildings, and urban structures from different eras over a 900-year-period, while the ‘new’ city boasts buildings by modern architectural masters, bustling malls and marketplaces, and crowded parks.
My childhood was spent in a middle-class neighborhood where most people knew each other and kids played together in the evenings. My classmates came from diverse religions, parts of India, and socioeconomic backgrounds – so I learned early that there were many ways to ‘be.’ And I was – and still am – close to my extended family.
What made my upbringing even more special was having access to two large libraries, which introduced me to Western literature and developed my love of reading.
Who have been your strongest influences in life?
On the personal front, my parents offered unconditional love and support, and instilled in me a sense of adventure and a belief that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. My husband is my rock and best friend, providing constant inspiration and support. I share a deep bond with my siblings, and my children remind me to cherish the present and stay curious.
On the professional side, my advisor, Robert Hoskisson (Jones School of Business, Rice University), has been a great mentor. His curiosity, commitment to rigorous research, strong ethical values, and constant support have shaped my academic journey. And I’m indebted to my core of academic friends, who have opened new doors and perspectives, and form my community.
What led you to your career?
After an engineering degree, I felt that I knew mathematics and physics, but not ‘how the world works.’ Going to business school opened my eyes to the complexity of social and business systems. A few years working in India’s largest management consulting firm convinced me that I needed to study organizational issues in depth, so I applied for a PhD at Arizona State University.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I love to spend time with my family, read, hike and travel, and celebrate Indian festivals.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
My family and friends tell me I’m an excellent cook, and I often prepare meals for a dozen or more people. While I’m most comfortable with Indian food (and particularly from Maharashtra), during the pandemic I expanded my horizons into Korean, Italian, German, and Chinese food – and baking cookies and fruit pies. This was thanks to my two children, who kept asking for something different and interesting to eat!
What is the most played song on your playlist as of now?
My taste in music is eclectic. I enjoy ’80s pop as well as older classic rock and pop, Bollywood music, Marathi and Gujarati folk music, and Western and Indian classical music. Currently I’ve been listening to Erik Satie’s Gnossiennes often as they pair quite well with writing.
What book would you recommend to others? On the personal side? On the business side?
On the personal side, I think that Jon Meacham’s new biography of Lincoln: And There Was Light has valuable leadership lessons for our times. I also enjoy historical fiction and recommend Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. I’m currently reading and enjoying James Michener’s Mexico.
On the business side, I’m reading Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior. It is fascinating to see the formative stages of many concepts and constructs we now take for granted. A recent book I found valuable is Vanessa Patrick’s The Power of Saying No.
