Iain Clacher

Iain Clacher is Professor of Pensions & Finance and Pro Dean for International at Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds. He is also the Director of the University-wide Centre for Financial Technology and Innovation, fostering interdisciplinary research in fintech, AI, and blockchain applications in finance. His work bridges academia, policy, and industry, with significant impact on pension governance, transparency, and sustainable finance.

His research focuses on pensions, retirement decision-making, trustee governance, asset management costs, sustainable finance, and financial technology. He explores behavioural aspects of annuitization, discount rates in accounting, smart ledgers for collective savings, and AI in financial services. His work emphasizes real-world relevance, influencing regulatory standards and institutional practices.

The trajectory of his recent publications reflects a strong shift toward interdisciplinary innovation, integrating finance with technology, sustainability, and policy. His research combines empirical finance with institutional analysis, covering topics from split-voting in equity funds to climate risk analytics in pension portfolios. The consistent themes include transparency, governance, and the application of emerging technologies to improve financial outcomes.

• Selected as a REF 2021 impact case study by Leeds University Business School
• Board member of the Institutional Disclosure Working Group (IDWG) of the Financial Conduct Authority (2018)
• Expert advisor to the European Economic and Social Committee on Pan European Pension Products

Iain has advised major institutions such as the CERN Pension Fund, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Office for National Statistics, and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment. He has led high-impact projects funded by national and international bodies, including the £10m UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment. His leadership in the Centre for Financial Technology and Innovation has secured industry partnerships with Barclays and Simudyne, and he has developed innovative educational initiatives like the Fraud Wars hackathon.

He leads one of two climate and environmental risk analytics hubs under the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, based in Leeds and London. The Centre for Financial Technology and Innovation brings together experts from computing, law, engineering, ethics, and business to advance research in fintech, with active projects in smart ledgers, AI in audit, and analytics in asset management.