Dr. Dhirendra Shukla has been the Dr. J. Herbert Smith ACOA Chair since September 2009. He did his BEng and MSc in Chemical Engineering and Computing and Performance Engineering from the University of Bradford (UK). Dhirendra worked for several years in the Telecom Sector for Nortel Networks (Canada) in various roles and prior to joining Nortel Networks he worked for Croda International (UK).

Dhirendra obtained his MBA from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa (Canada) and completed his PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance from the University of London in the UK (King's College London). His current research interests are in Venture Capital, Syndication, Entrepreneurship, Corporate Finance, Performance and Governance, and Boards of Directors.

Dhirendra currently teaches Entrepreneurial Finance, Business Planning and Strategy in an Entrepreneurial Environment, Global Engineering, Managing in the Creative Economy, Experiential Learning in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, Product Design and Development as well as Leadership in an Era of Deep Change.