LeBow MBA Alumnus Denis P. O’Brien Named Drexel’s Interim President
LeBow alumnus and longtime Drexel trustee Denis P. O’Brien, MBA '87, has been named interim president of Drexel University.
As announced by Drexel Board of Trustees chair Richard Greenawalt '66, O’Brien was appointed to the interim role on July 17 and will work with President John Fry on transitioning critical philanthropic and government relationships and concluding any important business transactions for the University through the Board’s September meeting.
O’Brien has been a member of Drexel’s Board for two decades, currently chairing the Buildings and Properties committee, and served as the top executive for several major institutions in the Philadelphia area, most recently as Senior Executive Vice President of Exelon and CEO of Exelon Utilities.
O’Brien began his career at PECO in 1979 as an intern and joined the company full-time in 1982. He later earned his MBA at Drexel in 1987 and attained larger roles at PECO before becoming President and CEO in 2007. He was named to the Drexel 100, the University’s alumni hall of fame, in 2005, and was named Drexel’s Business Leader of the Year in 2009.
“It’s an honor to serve in this role during Drexel’s time of transition,” O’Brien said. “As an alumnus and member of Drexel’s Board for more than 20 years, I have witnessed first-hand the University’s trajectory to excellence. I am looking forward to working closely with Drexel’s talented faculty, dedicated professional staff, outstanding students and a committed Board of Trustees to ensure the continued success of this remarkable university.”
Following President Fry’s departure to serve as president of Temple University, O’Brien will continue to lead the University while a presidential search process takes place.
That process will be led by J. Michael Lawrie, MBA '77, who was appointed to chair the presidential search committee by the Board’s Nominations and Governance committee. Like interim president O’Brien, Lawrie is a longtime trustee and has been a supporter of numerous initiatives at the LeBow College of Business, including the Lawrie Advanced Global Leadership Program.
