David Wessels is an Adjunct Full Professor in the Finance Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he serves as Director of Executive Education. He is the Academic Director of Wharton’s CFO Program for Strategic Leadership. David teaches various courses on corporate valuation, venture capital, and performance management, catering to undergraduates, MBA students, and executive audiences globally. He has received the school's MBA Excellence Teaching Award and has been nationally recognized for his research on organizational structure and financial performance. David co-authored the book 'Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies,' which is considered a seminal text for students in corporate valuation and investment banking. Prior to his tenure at Wharton, he was a member of the finance faculty at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, and worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and a technology analyst at Harbourvest Venture Partners. David holds a PhD in Finance from UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BS in Economics and a BAS in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania • Philadelphia, PA
Teaches courses on corporate valuation, venture capital, and performance management.
Goizueta Business School, Emory University • Atlanta, GA
Engaged in teaching and research in finance.
McKinsey & Company • Atlanta, GA
Provided consulting services in finance.
Harbourvest Venture Partners • Boston, MA
Analyzed technology investments.