James Noel Ward

James Noel Ward is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Management at The American University of Paris (AUP), where he has been full-time since 2013. He holds a Master of Science in Finance (George Washington University, 1999) and is completing a doctoral thesis in Finance at Université Paris. His career spans finance, academia, and policy, including roles as Head of High Yield Investments at AXA and founding a credit hedge fund. Ward also serves as Professor of Mathematical Finance at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, Boston University (1985)
• Master of Science in Finance, George Washington University (1999)
• Doctoral thesis in progress at Université Paris
• Certifications: Chartered Financial Risk Manager (GARP), Chartered International Professional Risk Manager (PRMIA)

Research Interests: Ward’s work focuses on financial markets, including option pricing, exotic derivatives, behavioral finance, and corporate capital structure. His recent publications explore topics like luxury beliefs in governance (The New Oxford Review, 2024) and modern political structures (2023). His technical expertise spans computational finance and risk management.

Awards: He received the Distinguished Lecturer Fellowship from the YUST PUST Foundation (2021-2021).

Teaching & Affiliations: Ward teaches courses on corporate finance, investment analysis, and computational finance at AUP, and has held visiting roles at Deep Springs College and PUST. He is affiliated with institutions like the CFA Institute and the Bachelier Finance Society.