University begins search for new chief financial officer

The University of Chicago has engaged executive search firm Spencer Stuart to conduct a national search for a new administrative leader to succeed Nim Chinniah, executive vice president for administration and chief financial officer. To ensure continuity, Rowan Miranda, senior associate vice president for finance and administration, has been appointed interim chief financial officer. Miranda will report directly to the president in his capacity as interim CFO.

Chinniah, who has accepted a leadership role at Northwestern University, will be at UChicago through Aug. 8. In a letter to university administrators on July 7, President Robert J. Zimmer praised Chinniah’s accomplishments in seven years of service to the University.

“As chief financial officer, [Chinniah] built a strong team that has helped align the University’s financial management with the academic priorities of our provost, deans and faculty,” Zimmer wrote. “He provided key leadership during the economic crisis, and helped to shape a financial planning and management model that is nimble and responsive, bringing together trustees, leadership and financial managers across the institution.”

For the duration of the search, oversight of the administrative areas led by Chinniah, including Information Technology Services, Facilities Services, Safety and Security, Business Diversity and Commercial Real Estate, will be carried out by Executive Vice President David Fithian.

In addition to serving as interim CFO, Miranda will retain his titles as senior AVP and treasurer. Miranda has contributed to the University’s financial leadership and long-range planning since arriving in March 2014. He previously served as associate vice president for finance at the University of Michigan, was an executive partner with Accenture, and has held a number of faculty appointments over the past 20 years. He holds a BS in accounting and MA in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and earned an AM and PhD in public policy analysis from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.