Awards

Nobel Prize - 2009

Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences

About Oliver Williamson

Dr. Oliver Williamson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2009 for his work focusing on economic transactions within and between firms and organizational theory. He began as a student attending M.I.T., where he completed a B.S. in 1955. He later moved on to Stanford University and completed his MBA in 1960. Williamson completed his academic degrees at Carnegie Mellon University, where he finished his Ph.D. in 1963.

Williamson’s career has allowed him the opportunity to hone his expertise in a variety of fields. With an academic background in engineering, business, law, and economics, he has held positions in academia, the private sector, and government. This has included stints at G.E. and in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. Dr. Williamson has held numerous faculty positions at some of America’s top institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. Currently, he is the Edgar F. Kaiser Professor Emeritus of Business, Economics, and Law at the University of California – Berkeley.

Williamson is married to Dolores Celini, whom he met while working for the United States government. Together, they have five children, Scott, Tamara, Karen, Oliver, Jr., and Dean.