3 professors join Thunderbird School of Global Management faculty

The Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University has announced the addition of three distinguished professors to its faculty for the upcoming 2023–24 academic year: Susan Harmeling, Barbara Pecherot and Aneel Iqbal.

Director General and Dean Sanjeev Khagram introduced these accomplished educators at the start of the semester — with their expertise in global leadership, management and business education promising lasting impact to Thunderbird's academic success. 

"Our dedication to providing a world-class global education is exemplified by the arrival of these professors, who will undoubtedly help train our students for successful careers in global leadership, management and business education," Khagram said. "On behalf of the Thunderbird, I warmly welcome Aneel, Barbara and Susan. Their presence exemplifies our commitment to driving inclusive and sustainable prosperity worldwide, and I eagerly anticipate the experience they will bring to our diverse and vibrant community."

Pecherot began her role in the spring of 2023, while Harmeling joined Thunderbird during summer, and Iqbal in the fall. Read on to learn more about their respective backgrounds and areas of expertise. 

Susan Harmeling is a clinical professor of inclusive global leadership, business ethics and entrepreneurship. She earned a PhD in business ethics and entrepreneurship from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and holds a BA and MBA from Harvard University. Harmeling's academic research focus on the intersection of business and ethical issues has informed her strong advocacy for increasing equity of opportunity in organizations. Before coming to Thunderbird, she was an associate professor of clinical entrepreneurship at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. She is an acknowledged global expert on the case method of instruction and the founder of the International Case Method Institute. 

Barbara Pecherot is a clinical professor of global finance and environmental, social and corporate governance. She earned a PhD in finance from the Université of Grenoble Alpes and an MBA from EDHEC Business School. Pecherot was previously the managing director of professional learning at CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals. She was an executive team member and led the division responsible for all continuing education products, ranging from courses and certificates to instructor-led trainings and executive education. Barbara was previously a faculty member at Thunderbird between 2000 and 2006, and then held academic positions at SKEMA Business School in France and Bournemouth University in the U.K. She also served as the director of online studies for the MSc in management programs for the partnership between Laureate Online Education and the University of Liverpool Management School. 

Aneel Iqbal is an assistant professor of global accounting. He earned a PhD in accounting from the University of Calgary and an MBA from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Iqbal examines the accounting measurement and financial disclosures for new-economy firms and incorporates his wide-ranging industry experience into his research and teaching. Iqbal’s work, featured in esteemed publications such as Harvard Business Review and California Management Review, reflects his commitment to scholarly and real-world contributions. He has previously taught accounting and finance at the undergraduate and graduate levels for over five years, through which he has developed and delivered accounting and finance executive courses for managers. Engaging with students and participants from diverse backgrounds has further developed his understanding of the practical challenges managers face around financial reporting, disclosure and analysis.