Paul McKinnon

Dr. Paul McKinnon is a Senior Lecturer in the Organizational Behavior Unit, where he teaches in Leadership and Organizational Behavior (LEAD) in the MBA Required Curriculum, and Managing Human Capital in the MBA Elective Curriculum. His research interests are in Talent Management.

Prior to joining the HBS faculty, Dr. McKinnon had more than 30 years experience in Human Resources management, consulting and education. From 2008-2014, he was Head of Human Resources and Talent Management at Citigroup. From 1997-2007, Paul was Senior Vice President of the Human Resources Group for Dell, with responsibility for all aspects of the function. Paul also was Chairman of the Dell Foundation.

Prior to Dell, he developed a leadership development practice at three separate management consulting firms: McKinnon Consulting, Novations and Harbridge House. Previously, Paul was an assistant professor at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia from 1982-1986, where he taught Organizational Behavior.

Dr. McKinnon currently serves on National Academy of Human Resources Foundation Board. He twice served on the Board of Directors of the HR Policy Association (2004-2007, 2008-2014) and twice served on the Board of the National Urban League, (2002-2007, 2009-2014) where he also served as Board Secretary.

Dr. McKinnon has been recognized for his contributions to the HR profession. In 2002, he was inducted as a Fellow into the National Academy of Human Resources. He received the Dyer Distinguished Alumni award from BYU’s Marriott School in 2005. In 2011, the Academy of Management named him HR Executive of the Year, and in 2013, Human Resource Executive Magazine listed him as one of the top five HR executives in the country.

He is a co-editor of The Chief HR Officer (2012), and has been a speaker on Talent Management at Milken Foundation events.

He has a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University, and a Ph.D. in Organization Studies from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.