Professor Lan Snell

Professor Lan Snell is Executive Dean of the School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship at Swinburne University of Technology .

She brings extensive leadership experience across higher education and industry, with a strong track record in curriculum innovation, industry engagement, and transformative partnerships.

Before joining Swinburne, Lan was Dean of Programs (Postgraduate) at the University of South Australia where she led the postgraduate portfolio including executive education. Lan launched the Global Executive MBA in Defence and Space in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Exeter. The program received national recognition, winning the Universities Australia 2025 Shaping Australia Award (Future Builder category). Under her leadership, UniSA’s MBA suite achieved record enrolments and secured top-five rankings in the AFR Business School Rankings. Her work in growing the postgraduate portfolio and strategic partnerships unit was a key factor in securing EQUIS accreditation. Lan also played a pivotal role in UniSA’s journey towards Adelaide University (AU), contributing to the development of new curriculum, advancing the Defence and National Security signature research theme, and shaping the strategic direction for lifelong learning.

Lan has held senior positions at the University of South Australia, Macquarie Business School, UTS Business School and University of Southern Queensland. Alongside her academic career, she brings more than 20 years of industry experience in strategic marketing and change management within the professional services sector. She is an experienced board member and currently serves as a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) National Education Advisory Committee.

Her research focuses on services marketing and the transformative role of service in improving individual and societal outcomes. She has published on topics ranging from health service quality and co-creation to entrepreneurship and technology-enabled services in journals including the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Services Theory and Practice, Health Marketing Services, and European Heart Journal.

Lan holds a PhD in Services Marketing (University of Sydney), Master of Education (Macquarie University), Graduate Certificate in Research (Macquarie University), and Bachelor of Business (UTS).