Tom Aabo

Tom Aabo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus University, Denmark, and a research fellow at the Danish Finance Institute (DFI). He holds a PhD in Economics and Business Economics from Aarhus University (2000) and brings seven years of industry experience into his academic work, fostering an applied research and teaching approach at the intersection of theory and practice.

• PhD in Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University (2000)

Tom's research centers on behavioral corporate finance, with a strong emphasis on how CEO personality traits—such as narcissism, neuroticism, and overconfidence—influence corporate decisions, firm performance, mergers and acquisitions, and gender diversity in leadership. His work bridges finance, psychology, and organizational behavior, contributing to top-tier journals like the Journal of Corporate Finance and Journal of Empirical Finance. His recent publications (2023–2024) continue to deepen understanding of CEO psychology and strategic outcomes.

The analysis of his 15 most recent articles reveals a consistent focus on behavioral dimensions of corporate leadership, particularly the impact of CEO personality on risk-taking, innovation, acquisitions, and ESG-related decisions. The dominant keywords include finance, behavioral economics, corporate governance, and psychology, with sub-fields such as CEO narcissism, gender diversity, firm value, strategic flexibility, and corporate risk. His research increasingly incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives, linking executive psychology with financial performance and organizational dynamics.

Tom has been recognized for his contributions to risk management research, having received the Silver Award at the STOXX 2005 Risk Management Research Awards. His editorial and peer-review activities are extensive, with service on journals such as European Financial Management, Journal of Business Ethics, and International Review of Financial Analysis.

He has supervised numerous students and is actively involved in teaching graduate-level courses in Behavioral Corporate Finance, Risk Management, and Corporate Finance at the MSc and MBA levels. Tom maintains strong international collaborations, especially with the University of South Florida, where he has completed four extended research stays since 2009. He has also held visiting positions at Oklahoma State University and RMIT Melbourne. No dedicated lab or research center is mentioned, but his collaborative network spans multiple continents and institutions, supporting a robust research agenda in behavioral finance and corporate decision-making.