Otago Vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg this week announced the appointment of Prof Lont, who is an Otago University graduate and of Ngai Tahu descent.
He was previously an associate professor at the university's School of Business, and is a well-respected researcher in quantitative accounting at Otago.
Prof Skegg said Prof Lont had already made excellent contributions to research and teaching and had shown an impressive commitment to the accounting profession.
Prof Lont said he was "very excited" about the promotion and well aware that "it comes with a responsibility".
Prof Lont is incoming New Zealand president of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand. He is looking forward to the challenge of his new Otago role, and to enhancing Otago's growing reputation for research in quantitative accounting.
Recent financial crises provided further research opportunities to help the investing public, regulators and the profession better understand the environment they operated in, he said.
