MARIA CELIA LOPEZ PENABAD

Dr. MARIA CELIA LOPEZ PENABAD is a full Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Department of Financial Economy and Accounting within the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences. She is a member of the Interuniversity Research Center in Economics and Business for Society (ECOBAS) and leads the VALFINAP research group focused on applied financial valuation. Her doctoral thesis (2000) investigated housing financing systems in the EU, establishing her early expertise in financial systems integration and policy analysis.

Her academic career spans over three decades with a focus on financial markets, banking efficiency, ESG integration, and sustainable development. Key research areas include mortgage securitization, socially responsible investments, corporate social performance, and the impact of behavioral biases on financial decision-making. She has contributed to policy debates on financial stability, negative interest rate policies, and microfinance institutional effectiveness.

Her publications demonstrate cross-disciplinary engagement, blending quantitative finance with socio-economic analysis. Notable themes include ESG metrics' influence on corporate ecoefficiency, competition dynamics in MENA banking sectors, and the role of financial education during crises. She has also explored regional economic challenges such as rural depopulation in Galicia and the economic impact of demographic shifts.

Her work extends to innovative methodologies like DEA double bootstrap for efficiency analysis and co-integration techniques for market integration studies. She advises on sustainable development indices for rural municipalities and has pioneered research on Spain's SOCIMIs (real estate investment vehicles). Her research consistently bridges academic rigor with practical policy applications, emphasizing Spain's financial ecosystems and EU integration dynamics.

While no specific awards are listed, her extensive publication record and leadership in interdisciplinary research groups reflect her academic impact. She collaborates with institutions across Europe, focusing on financial systems resilience, ESG adoption, and socio-economic equity in financial markets.