معرفی
Will Gornall is an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, where he has been a faculty member since 2015. He joined as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. His academic affiliations include membership in the Finance Division, where he teaches Venture Capital at the undergraduate and master's levels, and Corporate Finance Theory at the doctoral level.
Dr. Gornall earned his PhD in Finance from Stanford Graduate School of Business (2010-2015), followed by a Master of Quantitative Finance and Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. His educational background provided the foundation for his research in financial economics with a strong quantitative focus.
Gornall's research primarily focuses on venture capital, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship, with expanding interests in fintech and banking. His work examines how venture capitalists make investment decisions, value startups, structure contracts, and how these processes impact entrepreneurs and the broader economy. He has conducted field experiments on diversity in venture capital, analyzed venture capital responses to the pandemic, and investigated the relationship between private equity buyouts and employee outcomes. His recent work has expanded into cryptocurrency markets and open banking systems.
His publication record shows a consistent output of high-impact research in top finance journals, with a notable concentration on venture capital topics. The trend in his work shows evolution from traditional corporate finance topics toward more specialized venture capital research, followed by expansion into related areas like fintech and private equity labor market effects. His articles frequently combine theoretical modeling with empirical analysis of unique datasets.
- Jensen Prize for Best Papers in Journal of Financial Economics (2021)
- Doriot Award for Best Private Equity Research Paper (2021)
- Multiple Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grants
- Stanford Graduate School of Business Fellowship
- SSHRCC Doctoral Fellowship
Dr. Gornall has secured significant research funding including Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grants, Mitacs Accelerate Grants, and multiple center-specific research grants. His work on venture capital valuation has led to practical tools used by practitioners, including a valuation tool for employee stock options. He regularly presents his research at major academic conferences and institutions worldwide, demonstrating active engagement with the academic community.
