We are celebrating 25 years since we were formally founded.
We have evolved to be one of the elite business schools of the world, embedded in the world’s top University, and aspiring to be a model of purposeful leadership. We have a well-deserved reputation for excellence.
Read all about our history and our exciting plans for the future.
Follow the journey of our first 25 years
1965
The history of business at Oxford stretches back to 1965 when the Oxford Centre for Management Studies, later Templeton College and now Green-Templeton College, was founded.
1988
A committee chaired by Sir Claus Moser recommended that the University create a new School of Management Studies.
1990
The University passed a resolution establishing the School. The first Director was Dr Clark Brundin who had previously been Vice-Chancellor of Warwick University and he, together with a number of newly appointed faculty and staff members, including the first professor, Colin Mayer, helped to establish the embryonic School.
1994
A joint undergraduate degree in economics and management was launched.
Saïd Business School was formally founded in 1996, thanks to a generous donation from businessman and philanthropist, Wafic Saïd.
We opened our doors to our first MBA students in the Radcliffe Infirmary while it was still a fully operating hospital in the centre of Oxford.
Our city centre, Park End Street building was constructed on the site of the Oxford Rewley Road Railway Station. Prior to being a railway station the site housed Rewley Abbey - a 13th-century centre of learning for Cistercian monks.
We opened in 2001 as the result of a £23 million benefaction from businessman and philanthropist Wafic Saïd.
The state-of-art design of Park End Street is the work of leading architects, Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones, also responsible for the Royal Opera House in London.
While modern in materials and approach, the design draws upon academic tradition, with a classical outdoor amphitheatre, columns and cloisters, oak-panelled, horseshoe style lecture theatres, two large outdoor garden spaces, and a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Oxford dreaming spires.
In 2012, we opened the Thatcher Business Education Centre at our Park End site, thanks to the continued generosity of Mr. Saïd and the Saïd Foundation.
In 2017, we opened the Oxford Foundry, a few hundred metres from the School, in a former ice factory turned nightclub. The Foundry is open to all students and recent alumni of Oxford, and supports young entrepreneurs. While not formally part of the School, by supporting all Oxford entrepreneurs, the Foundry allows us to make a substantial contribution to the University from which we benefit greatly.
Today we offer 15 degree programmes, a full suite of in-person Open Enrolment courses, a wide range of online Open Enrolment courses, and we work with scores of companies and governments.
Our core programmes are run from two sites, Park End Street and Egrove Park.
We are working on an exciting project to open a new Global Leadership Centre in the former Osney Power Station. This will be an outstanding facility for teaching executives of leading organisations from around the world.
Prof. Soumitra Dutta (2022 - current)
Prof. Sue Dopson (Interim 2021 - 2022)
Prof. Peter Tufano (2011-2021)
Prof. Colin Mayer (2006- 2011)
Prof. Anthony Hopwood (1999-2006)
Prof. John Kay (1996-1998)