The University of Iowa’s governing board has named a corporate management expert with little education experience as the school’s next president.

The Iowa Board of Regents announced the selection Thursday of J. Bruce Harreld, a former senior vice president at IBM and Harvard Business School lecturer.

The choice is likely to stir criticism among professors who see him as unqualified and spark debate over whether business experience is enough to lead a major university.

The regents passed over three candidates with traditional academic experience in favor of the 64-year-old Harreld.

Harreld argues that his experience transforming businesses such as IBM and Kraft Foods would help the university during a time of change in higher education.

He will replace Sally Mason, who retired last month after leading the school since 2007.