Christopher Williams

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.