Emiliya Lazarova is a Professor of Economics and Head of the School of Economics at the University of East Anglia (UEA). She chairs the Royal Economics Society’s Conference of Heads of Departments of Economics. Her research focuses on coalition formation, matching theory, and applied economics, with recent projects analyzing technological innovation via patent data, biodiversity market measurements, and international environmental agreements. She has held academic roles at the University of Birmingham and Queen’s University Belfast, teaching quantitative courses like Applied Econometrics and topics in applied microeconomics. Her research interests include coalition dynamics, social housing allocation, and the political economy of environmental policies. Current projects with Dr. Yuan Gao include developing an ex-ante novelty index for inventions and studying biodiversity valuation mechanisms. Lazarova has secured grants from the Royal Economic Society and British Academy, focusing on property rights and economic development in emerging economies. Her work bridges theoretical models and empirical applications, addressing issues like firm behavior under political pressure, patent innovation cycles, and disability discrimination impacts. Collaborations span institutions globally, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to economic challenges. Advisory roles include supervising PhD students on topics such as status-seeking in matching markets and conflict resolution via coalition theory. Her teaching expertise complements her research, emphasizing quantitative methods and policy analysis.
Juanita Gonzalez-Uribe is an Associate Professor in Finance at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), specializing in entrepreneurship, private equity, innovation, and accelerators. She serves as Co-Director of LSE's Financial Markets Group and Programme Director for Financing the Real Economy, while also being a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) and co-organizer of the WE_ARE Women in Economics seminar series. Her research explores how private markets and public policy can catalyze high-growth entrepreneurship globally, with a focus on Latin America, the UK, and the U.S. Key areas include venture capital, private equity, innovation dynamics, and business accelerators. Recent publications analyze leadership effects in startups, bankruptcy reorganization incentives, and policy interventions for private finance. She advises corporations, governments, and academic institutions on entrepreneurship training, open innovation, sustainability, and impact policy. Gonzalez-Uribe also engages in public speaking and delivers courses like FM414E Private Equity, Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance and FM476 Entrepreneurial Finance . Her interdisciplinary work spans corporate finance, regulatory innovation, and economic resilience.
Professor Jeevan R. Sharma serves as Chair of South Asia and International Development and Co-director of the Centre of South Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science. An elected General Secretary of the Britain Nepal Academic Council (BNAC), he brings extensive field research experience from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Malawi to his work in development and political anthropology. His current Wellcome Trust-funded transdisciplinary project examines health and well-being of South Asian migrant workers through collaboration with medical scientists and social anthropologists at Aga Khan University and Kathmandu Medical College. Sharma's research interests span labor migration, border-crossing, Maoist conflict, humanitarianism, human rights documentation, and health policy with particular focus on gender dynamics and social transformation. His fieldwork has investigated community health volunteers, maternal and child health, and international research collaboration in South Asia. He has previously worked at Feinstein International Centre at Tufts University (2009-2011) and Save the Children UK (2007-2009), bringing practical development experience to his academic work. His publication trends reveal consistent focus on migration, health policy, and political transformation in South Asia, with increasing attention to transnational health issues and pandemic impacts on vulnerable populations. Recent work examines Covid-19's effects on migrant workers, mental health policy in Nepal, and cross-cultural health measurement tools, demonstrating his commitment to bridging academic research with practical health interventions. Elected General Secretary of the Britain Nepal Academic Council (BNAC) Co-editor of HIMALAYA Journal (2019-2025), transitioning to Editor-at-large from January 2025 Associate Editor of 'South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies' Co-editor of Routledge Edinburgh South Asia Series Member of ESRC GAP panel C (2024-2025) Member of the commissioning panel for the ESRC Centres Competition 2018 Sharma has secured significant research funding including a Wellcome Trust grant for migrant worker health research, ESRC funding for projects examining low-income migrant workers' access to services in India, and NERC funding for flood resilience research in Nepal's Terai region. His collaborative approach is evident in projects involving multiple institutions across South Asia and the UK, with particular emphasis on transdisciplinary work that bridges social science and medical research. He has served as Principal Investigator on six completed projects and currently leads an active Wellcome Trust-funded initiative. As Co-director of the Centre for South Asian Studies in Edinburgh, Sharma contributes to one of the UK's leading institutions for South Asian research, fostering academic collaboration and knowledge exchange between scholars in the UK and South Asia. His work with the Britain Nepal Academic Council strengthens bilateral academic relations, while his editorial roles with HIMALAYA Journal and South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies position him at the forefront of scholarly discourse on the region.
Professor Emilios Avgouleas holds the Chair of International Banking Law and Finance at the University of Edinburgh's School of Law. He is a leading expert in financial regulation, fintech policy, and systemic risk governance. His research focuses on blockchain technology, sustainable finance, and digital finance frameworks. He serves on the European Securities and Markets Group, advises the World Economic Forum, and collaborates with institutions like the European Banking Institute and the Monetary Committee of the International Law Association (MOCOMILA). Education: PhD (LSE), LLM (LSE), LLB (Athens University). Research grants include Leverhulme Trust funding and collaborations with the Asian Development Bank and Hong Kong University. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, Tsinghua, and other global institutions. Research interests span financial stability, bank resolution mechanisms, and the intersection of technology with legal frameworks. His recent work addresses CBDCs, crypto regulation, and post-pandemic banking challenges. Over 80 peer-reviewed articles and books include *Governance of Global Financial Markets* (CUP, 2012) and co-edited volumes on systemic risk and capital markets union. Grants and awards: AHRC (2008-2009), Australian Research Council (2013-2016), Leverhulme Trust. He advises the European Parliament on financial stability and NPLs. Engages in high-level policy dialogues with regulators like the Bank of England, FCA, and ECB.
Associate Professor Elaine Jing Zhao is based at the School of the Arts and Media , University of New South Wales , with expertise in digital media economies, cultural production, and platform governance in transitional China and the Asia-Pacific region. She authored the monograph Digital China's Informal Circuits: Platforms, Labour and Governance and publishes in journals like New Media and Society and Global Media and Communication . Research Focus: Cultural implications of digital platforms, media globalization, and creative labor dynamics Editorial Roles: Board member, Communication Research and Practice ; reviewer for ARC grants and international journals Her research portfolio emphasizes platform governance , digital media policy , and cultural innovation in China's digital economy. Recent projects examine China's platform internationalization and informal media economies. She supervises PhD candidates in these areas and has secured funding from both Australian Research Council and National Social Science Foundation of China . Scientific Awards: 2020 Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Dean's Research Award for Best Monograph 2018 ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellowship Mentoring Scheme Award 2012 Australia-China Youth Dialogue Delegate 2010 Oxford Internet Institute Summer Doctoral Programme Participant She contributes to digital China scholarship through the Anthem book series and previously worked in the telecom and mobile internet industry before her academic career. Her work bridges sociocultural analysis and platform economy research.
Christopher Williams is the Arthur Andersen Professor of Accounting and Area Chair of Accounting at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. His research focuses on debt contracting, banking risk, and financial reporting quality. He holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina and degrees from Brigham Young University. Academic Roles: Professor (2021–present), Associate Professor (2016–2021), Assistant Professor (2009–2016) Awards: Michael and Joan Sakkinen Faculty Fellow, Arnold M. Jacob Faculty Development Award Research emphasizes regulatory impacts on capital structures, loan syndication dynamics, and systemic risk. Key areas include banking transparency, covenant design, and media influence in private lending. Over 20 peer-reviewed articles appear in top journals like Journal of Financial Economics and Review of Accounting Studies . Articles (2023–2012) analyze topics such as Basel III anticipatory effects, CDS trading dynamics, and media's role in private lending. Recent work explores optimal capital structure under reporting quality constraints and strategic syndication behavior. Awards: Arthur Andersen Chair, Sakkinen Fellowship, Jacob Award Grants/Advising: Extensive grant history in accounting research; no listed advisees. Labs/Teams: Active in Ross School's accounting research initiatives focusing on financial reporting and banking analytics.
Tiina Ritvala is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean (Teaching and Education) at the Department of Management Studies, Aalto University. Her research focuses on cross-sector collaboration between multinational corporations (MNCs), cities, and nonprofits in contexts like sustainable cities, energy transition, and cultural fields. She holds a D.Sc. (Econ.) from the Helsinki School of Economics (2008) and has been a Visiting Scholar at SCANCOR/Weatherhead (Harvard), Queen's University (Canada), and WU Vienna. Her work bridges organizational theory, international business, and social purpose. **Research Interests**: Cross-sector partnerships, multinational corporations, institutional change, sustainable cities, cultural and creative fields, energy transition. These areas are explored through case studies on global-local dynamics, MNE-NGO interactions, and sustainability initiatives. Recent work emphasizes spatial analysis in international business and geopolitical influences on corporate strategies. **Awards**: Received the Best Paper Award at EIBA 2017 for research on MNEs and sustainable development, the 1997 McKinsey Award for academic excellence, and a distinguished paper honor in the EDAMBA Thesis Competition (2009). **Professional Background**: Prior to academia, she worked in business consulting for a decade and engaged in volunteer work. Her teaching and administrative roles complement her research, focusing on international business education and institutional innovations. **Key Contributions**: Leads the Sustainability in Business research group, exploring topics like energy utilities' transition to renewables, MNC spatial strategies, and transnational commons governance. Her work often highlights the interplay between global institutions and localized action in addressing societal challenges.
Seongtae Kim is an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at Aalto University School of Business. He joined Aalto in 2019 after postdoctoral research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. His PhD in Supply Chain Management was obtained from the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute (2013–2016). His research focuses on supply chain sustainability, risks, complex networks, and digital transformation. Key projects include a four-year Academy of Finland-funded initiative on supply chain restructuring amid disruptions. He serves as an associate editor for the International Journal of Operations and Production Management and editorial board member for Decision Sciences and Journal of Supply Chain Management , earning review service awards. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary connections between environmental, social, and governance issues in global supply chains. Research awards include the JSCM Best Paper Award (2020) and Chris Voss Best Paper Award (2022). Current grants involve analyzing supply chain resilience during megadisruptions. His articles span topics like ethical sourcing, shareholder value effects of disruptions, and green practices in multi-tier networks. He advocates for integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into sustainable operations, addressing paradoxes in lean manufacturing and sustainability performance.
Christopher John O'Donnell is a distinguished Professor at the School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia, where he holds a dual affiliation (50% each) with both the main School of Economics and the Centre for Efficiency and Productivity Analysis (CEPA). His research primarily focuses on efficiency and productivity analysis across various sectors including agriculture, fisheries, public services, and healthcare. As a leading scholar in his field, he has published extensively in top-tier economics and operations research journals and is recognized as being among the top 5% of authors globally according to multiple citation metrics. O'Donnell's research interests span several interconnected domains: efficiency analysis, productivity measurement, agricultural economics, econometrics, state-contingent production frontiers, and metafrontier analysis. His work often bridges theoretical methodology with practical applications, particularly in estimating efficiency and productivity changes under various constraints and uncertainties. He has developed innovative approaches for measuring productivity in public service providers, agricultural sectors, and healthcare institutions, with particular attention to how weather, climate change, and demand uncertainty affect performance metrics. His research output demonstrates consistent productivity, with publications spanning from the 1990s to the present, including significant contributions in the last five years. O'Donnell frequently collaborates with researchers internationally, particularly with scholars from Australia, Europe, and Asia, reflecting the global relevance of his work. His publications appear in leading journals such as the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Journal of Productivity Analysis, European Journal of Operational Research, and Agricultural and Applied Economics journals. Ranked among top 5% authors by citation metrics (Number of Citations) Ranked among top 5% authors by citation metrics (Number of Citations, Discounted by Citation Age) Ranked among top 5% authors by citation metrics (Number of Citations, Weighted by Number of Authors) Ranked among top 5% authors by citation metrics (Number of Citations, Weighted by Number of Authors, Discounted by Citation Age) Ranked among top 5% authors by citation metrics (Euclidian citation score) O'Donnell has supervised numerous graduate students, as evidenced by his 'Record of graduates' noted in his RePEc profile. His research has been supported by various institutions, particularly focusing on agricultural productivity, public sector efficiency, and resource economics. He has contributed significantly to methodological developments in productivity measurement, including nonparametric approaches and metafrontier frameworks that allow for cross-technology comparisons. As a core member of the Centre for Efficiency and Productivity Analysis (CEPA) at the University of Queensland, O'Donnell contributes to one of the world's leading research centers in efficiency and productivity analysis. His work has practical applications for policymakers in agriculture, fisheries management, healthcare, and public service delivery, helping organizations measure and improve their performance in increasingly complex economic environments.
Lubomir P. Litov is the David M. Moffett Professor of Corporate Finance and an associate professor in the Finance Department at the Michael F. Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma. He also holds an appointment as Affiliate Associate Professor of Law at the OU College of Law. Dr. Litov received his Ph.D. in Economics from Leonard Stern School of Business at New York University. Prior to joining OU, he held faculty positions at the University of Arizona and Washington University in St. Louis. He is also a research associate at the Financial Institutions Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Litov's research focuses on several key areas of finance and corporate governance: Corporate governance mechanisms and board structures Mergers and acquisitions processes and outcomes Venture capital and private equity investment strategies Entrepreneurial finance and growth equity Capital structure decisions and risk management International corporate finance and policy impacts His recent publications examine critical issues such as dual-class stock IPOs, policy uncertainty effects on venture capital, poison pill defenses, and the relationship between venture capitalist directors and managerial incentives. Dr. Litov's work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in corporate finance and governance, with articles published in top journals including the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, and Journal of Accounting and Economics. Dr. Litov has received numerous teaching and research honors including: Harold E. Hackler Outstanding MBA Professor Award (2022) Merrick Foundation Teaching Award (2018) Hurley Roberson Teaching Excellence Award (2017) William Sharpe award for best paper in JFQA (2010) As an educator, Dr. Litov teaches courses on Mergers, Acquisitions & Corporate Restructuring across multiple programs including the MBA, Executive MBA in Aerospace & Defense, and MSc in Finance. He also co-organizes the Virtual Household Finance Seminar and the NYU-Georgia Tech-OU Economics Virtual Seminar on Artificial Intelligence and Decentralized Finance, bringing together leading researchers to discuss cutting-edge developments in finance.
Robert Forsythe is a Professor of Finance at Wayne State University's Mike Ilitch School of Business, where he served as Dean from 2014 to 2022. Prior to Wayne State, he was Dean at the University of South Florida's College of Business (2006-2012) and a faculty member at the University of Iowa (1981-2022), where he co-founded the Iowa Electronics Market, a futures market for political and economic event contracts. Ph.D., Economics, Carnegie Mellon University M.S., Economics and Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University B.S., Quantitative Business Analysis, Pennsylvania State University His research focuses on Experimental Economics , particularly prediction markets, game theory, and market mechanisms. He has analyzed how markets aggregate information, tested theories of public goods provision, and explored strategic behavior in auctions, bargaining, and elections. His work on the Iowa Electronic Market demonstrated the predictive power of market prices for political outcomes. His recent articles emphasize Market Efficiency , Information Aggregation , and Strategic Decision-Making . He has investigated the role of polls in multi-candidate elections, cooperation in games without reputation, and judgment bias in election stock markets. Notable contributions include the establishment of the Bulls Business Community at USF and the restructuring of M.B.A. programs to accommodate working professionals. Despite no scientific awards explicitly mentioned, his work remains influential in Finance and Political Forecasting . Robert Forsythe co-founded the Iowa Electronic Market and has been instrumental in integrating experimental methods into business education. His teaching includes BUSINESS FINANCE (FIN3290) at Wayne State University.
John Harry Evans is the III Katz Alumni Professor of Accounting at the Department of Accounting, Katz School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on economic perspectives of accounting phenomena, analytical models of incentives, experimental studies in managerial and tax reporting, and empirical investigations of healthcare incentives. He teaches courses in Financial Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Managerial Accounting, and Strategic Cost Management. Research spans incentive design, corporate governance, healthcare accounting, and empirical methodologies. Recent publications address CEO turnover, physician compensation, tax reporting ethics, and organizational incentive structures. Awarded multiple honors including the Outstanding Management Accounting Paper Award (2012), Provost Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2011), and multiple Best Paper Awards across journals. Active in professional service as a financial consultant to the Department of Defense and expert witness in legal cases. Designed financial analysis training programs for healthcare managers at University of Pittsburgh Physicians and Highmark Insurance Company.
Michael Ward is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Monash University, with a joint appointment at the Monash Sustainability Institute. His research focuses on applied microeconomics and econometrics, particularly addressing environmental and resource sustainability challenges such as water management, pollution regulation, land use policies, and biodiversity conservation. He joined Monash in 2012 after faculty positions at ANU and UC Berkeley. Ward has led multiple research projects, including the RACE for 2030 CRC (Cooperative Research Centre) and adaptive urban water management initiatives. He has been recognized with the 2008 Best Economics Paper Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association for his work on food safety and nutrition. His research outputs span 23 peer-reviewed articles, including influential studies on regulatory compliance mechanisms, water pricing strategies, and biodiversity conservation. Ward collaborates internationally and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and sustainable cities. Projects : RACE for 2030 CRC (2020–2031), Adaptive Urban Water Management (2012–2017), and household electricity use research (2022). Awards : 2008 Best Economics Paper Award for work on food safety and nutrition. Labs/Teams : Monash Sustainability Institute, interdisciplinary collaborations on energy and environmental policy.
Antonia Agulló Agüero is a distinguished Professor at Pompeu Fabra University specializing in Financial and Tax Law. With a scholarly career spanning over four decades from 1980 to 2025, she has established herself as a leading authority in Spanish tax law with growing expertise in EU tax frameworks and public finance systems. Her academic contributions include 26 journal articles, 27 collaborative works, 15 books, and direction of 20 doctoral theses. Her research interests focus on Tax Law , Financial Law , and Public Finance , with particular expertise in EU Taxation, Local Government Finance, Constitutional Tax Law, and International Taxation. Her scholarly work demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational tax principles to complex contemporary issues including healthcare financing, cross-border taxation, and fiscal policy responses to economic crises. Analysis of her most recent publications (2016-2020) reveals increasing attention to healthcare financing mechanisms, EU tax harmonization challenges, and the constitutional dimensions of public spending. Her work bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical policy applications, particularly in regional tax autonomy and fiscal federalism within Spain's autonomous communities framework. As a dedicated academic mentor, she has supervised 20 doctoral students whose research spans diverse tax law topics including international double taxation, public debt concepts, soft law in international taxation, and environmental taxation. Her students have gone on to contribute significantly to academic and professional tax discourse in Spain. Her scholarly infrastructure includes leadership in academic publications, participation in professional tax councils (notably the Barcelona Tax Council), and contributions to major tax law reforms including Spain's General Tax Law and Personal Income Tax legislation. Her work continues to influence tax policy development in Spain and EU member states.
Olivia Gu is an Associate Professor of Finance at Sy Syms School of Business, Yeshiva University. She holds a PhD in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has previously taught investments and risk management at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Her research spans asset pricing, corporate governance, ESG, and machine learning applications in finance. PhD in Finance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research interests include: Asset Pricing Return Predictability Innovation Finance ESG Investing Corporate Governance Machine Learning Applications Gender Discrimination Analysis Recent publications analyze venture capital human capital impacts, price rigidities, market competition effects, and corporate diversification strategies. She received multiple prestigious awards including the Trefftzs Award and SAC Capital PhD Candidate Award. Trefftzs Award SAC Capital PhD Candidate Award for Outstanding Research HKU Research Output Prize Professor Gu serves on the editorial board of Review of Financial Economics and participates in finance conference committees.
