Rich Lyons is the 12th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and the first undergraduate alum to serve in this role, having earned his BS in Economics from Berkeley in 1982. With decades of leadership and scholarly experience, Rich brings extensive expertise in academic innovation, institutional culture building, and public higher education advocacy.
Previously, he served as Dean of Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and later led the campuswide development of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives, helping position Berkeley as a global leader in venture-funded startups and civic enterprise creation. Before returning to Berkeley, Rich was a faculty member at Columbia University after completing his PhD in Economics at MIT.
Rich’s research focuses on information aggregation in societies and its expression through price signals, particularly in international exchange rates. His influential book, The Microstructure Approach to Exchange Rates, helped define the field. A recipient of Berkeley’s Distinguished Teaching Award, Rich is a strong advocate for educational excellence, accessibility, and cultivating a sense of stewardship among students and alumni.
