Oliver Marnet

Dr. Oliver Marnet is an Associate Professor at the Southampton Business School, University of Southampton. He serves as the Director of Accreditation for the school, overseeing AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS accreditations, and previously held leadership roles as Programme Director of the MSc Accounting and Finance degree and Head of the Accounting Department. His academic background includes a PhD in Economics from the University of Bath, two MAs with Distinction in Economics and International Affairs from Carleton University and the University of New Brunswick, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education from Aberystwyth University.

• Research Focus: Behavioural decision-making in corporate governance and audit, emphasizing cognitive/social biases, fraud dynamics, and audit reform.
• Key Contributions: Advisory role in updating the UK’s Corporate Governance Code (FRC, 2011/2018), policy influence on EU audit market reforms, and high-impact reports on joint audit arrangements.

His work spans listed companies, not-for-profits, and higher education institutions, with recent projects examining joint audit as a tool to enhance audit quality and mitigate biases. He has authored 10+ peer-reviewed articles, books, and policy reports, including the 2022 Research Handbook on Corporate Board Decision-Making. Marnet’s research has been cited in top-tier academic and professional circles, including submissions to the European Commission and UK regulatory bodies like the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

• External Roles: Keynote speaker at EU policy events (e.g., French audit regulator H3C’s 2021 Joint Audit Day), member of BAM and BAFA, and editor for Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Teaching: Cross-disciplinary instruction in accounting, finance, and governance at Russell Group and triple-crown universities globally.

Scientific Recognition: Includes the 2018 Best Reviewer Award in Corporate Governance and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). His joint audit studies with Southampton Business School colleagues rank in the top 10% of SSRN downloads, reflecting significant policy and industry impact.