Jan Bena

Jan Bena is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Finance Division at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia. He holds dual PhDs in Finance (London School of Economics) and Economics (CERGE-EI). His research focuses on innovation, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship, with notable contributions to understanding corporate innovation dynamics, ownership structures, and the interplay between finance and global markets. He leads initiatives such as the Portfolio Management Foundation Program and advises the UBC SWIFT: Sauder Women in Finance Training Program. He also holds the Bank of Montreal Chair in International Finance.

His research interests span corporate innovation (process and technological), decentralized finance (DeFi), private equity ownership structures, and the impact of global factors on firm behavior. He has developed influential datasets, including the Global Corporate Patent Dataset and Process Innovation Patent Dataset, which analyze innovation trends across industries and countries. His work frequently addresses topics like multinational corporation strategies, labor market interactions, and financial market dynamics.

Key contributions include studies on how employment protection laws influence innovation, the propagation of economic downturns through multinational firms, and the long-term effects of foreign institutional ownership. His articles consistently address critical questions in corporate finance, combining theoretical models with empirical evidence from large datasets. He teaches courses on entrepreneurial finance and private equity, reflecting his expertise in these areas.

Bena collaborates with leading institutions and scholars globally, contributing to both academic discourse and practical frameworks for financial decision-making. His work bridges theoretical innovation with real-world applications, influencing policy and business strategies in areas like sustainability, technological transition, and corporate governance.