Prof. Jean-Paul Arnaout is the Dean of the College of Business at Abu Dhabi University and a Full Professor of Production and Operations Management. He brings over 20 years of academic and administrative experience from across the United States, Lebanon, and Kuwait, including more than 15 years in the MENA region.
Before joining ADU, he served as Dean of the College of Business Administration at Gulf University for Science and Technology in Kuwait, where he successfully led several AACSB reaccreditation cycles, expanded the college's accreditation portfolio through new global affiliations, introduced innovative academic programs, and strengthened research and industry engagement. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles, including Head of Department, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, and Dean, which have provided him with extensive experience in accreditation, program development, executive education, and faculty advancement. He also continues to serve as an active member of AACSB's Peer Review Team, contributing to business school quality assurance worldwide.
As a scholar, Prof. Arnaout has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals on optimization, scheduling, simulation, and supply chain management, supported by funding from agencies in the United States, Lebanon, and Kuwait. He holds a master's and a Ph.D. in engineering management from Old Dominion University, USA, with a concentration in Operations Research. This interdisciplinary background has shaped his ability to collaborate across disciplines and support institution-wide initiatives.
Prof. Arnaout, who is trilingual in Arabic, English, and French, brings a multicultural perspective shaped by his professional and personal journey across three regions. At ADU, he is committed to advancing the College of Business's global profile by driving accreditation excellence, curriculum innovation, impactful research, and deeper industry engagement.
