In our ongoing Professor Profiles series, we spotlight two standout professors from each of the M7 business schools, exploring their research, careers, and the ideas that define their work.
We’re back this week with two professors from Harvard Business School: Tom Nicholas and France Frei.
Tom Nicholas
Harvard’s Tom Nicholas, William J. Abernathy Professor of Business Administration and part of the Entrepreneurial Management Unit, is famed for two things: his excellent teaching and his venture capital expertise.
Tom teaches “The Coming of Managerial Capitalism,” a second-year elective, which puts two centuries of U.S-based entrepreneurship, innovation, finance and business under the microscope. He holds a doctorate in Economic History from Oxford University. Throughout his career as an economic historian, his research has uncovered findings in the historical foundations of innovation, entrepreneurship and wealth accumulation in America, Britain and Japan.
In his book, “VC: An American History,” Tom Nicholas dives deep into the venture capital industry of the U.S. His writing uncovers the development of the industry, tracing venture financing from the whaling industry to Silicon Valley.
Tom Nicholas’s expertise extends beyond his his academic career. His name has appeared more than once in Harvard’s Faculty Teaching Awards, and his “passion, energy, preparedness, and ability to artfully facilitate a case discussion” has stood out in the classroom year on year. In fact, one student described him as “a true maestro of the case method, with a rare combination of passion, humor, and sensitivity that makes everyone strive to bring their best.” His talent of imbuing case studies with relevance and energy stands out to students, who call themselves “lucky” to have him, and praise him for his “unwavering commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering educational atmosphere.”
Frances Frei 
Frances Frei, Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School, is known for her expertise in the realms of leadership and culture. She holds a Ph.D. in Operations and Information Management from Pennsylvania Wharton. At HBS, Frances teaches courses such as “Managing Service Operations.”
The professor role is not the only one Frances has held at HBS. She previously served as Senior Associate Dean for faculty development, led Executive Education, and chaired the MBA required curriculum.
As well as leading from within these roles, Frances developed a class which examines business models that are not just successful, but delightful; a class that proved to be amongst the school’s most popular. She does not limit her impactful leadership to her role at HBS: In 2017, she acted as Uber’s first Senior Vice President of Leadership and Strategy, committing to achieving excellence in an organization experiencing hyper-growth.
Frances’s books are many, including “Uncommon Service, Unleashed,” and the newly released “Move Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader’s Guide to Solving Hard Problems” and selling in vast numbers.
Her research focuses on excellence in leadership. In fact, leaders seek her out for her expertise in this area, often calling upon her for advice in the face of organizational change. Frances’s exceptional leadership has earned her a global reputation; one cemented by her TED talk on “How to build (and rebuild) trust.” The TED Talk went viral, with millions curious to learn more about building, maintaining, and restoring stakeholder trust. She has built a reputation for high performance and a strong commitment to action, earning recognition for her dynamic leadership and ability to turn ideas into reality. These two qualities are also known to shape her teaching style. She can be found on LinkedIn, Google Scholar, and YouTube.
