Dr. David Wessels

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. David Wessels. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

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.

Research Interests

Experience

Adjunct Full Professor

— Present

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania • Philadelphia, PA

Teaches courses on corporate valuation, venture capital, and performance management.

Finance Faculty

— Present

Goizueta Business School, Emory University • Atlanta, GA

Engaged in teaching and research in finance.

Management Consultant

— Present

McKinsey & Company • Atlanta, GA

Provided consulting services in finance.

Technology Analyst

— Present

Harbourvest Venture Partners • Boston, MA

Analyzed technology investments.

Awards

#

Wharton Teaching Excellence Award

#

Excellence Teaching Award, WEMBA San Francisco

#

William G. Whitney Award Outstanding Teaching in Affiliated Faculty

#

William G. Whitney Award Outstanding Teaching in Affiliated Faculty

#

William G. Whitney Award Outstanding Teaching in Affiliated Faculty

Requirements for University of Pennsylvania

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.6
GRE General
Verbal
Required:162
Quantitative
Required:162
Overall
Required:162
GMAT
Total Score
Required:728
Overall
Required:728
TOEFL
Total
Required:115
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong quantitative background
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Letters of Recommendation (2-3)
  • Resume/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Essays
Specialization Notes

Wharton Doctoral programs cover fields like Finance, Marketing, Management, and Operations, Information and Decisions.