Prolific Scholar is Corrigan Chair

Iftekhar Hasan, Ph.D., will join Fordham as the new Corrigan Chair in International Business and Finance at the Gabelli School of Business and the Graduate School of Business Administration on August 29, 2011.

Hasan is the acting dean and the Carey L. Wellington Professor of Finance and the director of the International Center for Financial Research of the Lally School of Management and Technology of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He specializes in financial institutions, corporate finance, entrepreneurial finance and capital markets.

“Iftekhar Hasan’s appointment as the Corrigan Chair is a significant addition to Fordham’s intellectual capital,” said Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., provost of the University. “Dr. Hasan is both a prolific and highly regarded scholar whose expertise is sought after by governments, financial institutions and universities worldwide. By this appointment, Fordham and its Schools of Business signal a commitment to the highest levels of research and teaching in business and finance.”

David Gautschi, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Business, said that Hasan’s addition to the faculty strengthens two areas of strategic priority for the school:  advancing understanding of the role of business in the global political economy, and advancing understanding of a business school in an international financial center.

“Dr. Hasan is known not only for his innovative and prolific research, but also for his work in advising many international institutions—both private and governmental, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the Central Bank of Finland, and a number of other central banks and regulatory authorities,” he said.

“In addition, Dr. Hasan is known for his generosity in mentoring young scholars in Finance, having founded and continued to lead the “Rising Stars” conference for emerging researchers,” Gautschi said.

Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business said she was delighted to welcome Hasan to the Fordham Schools of Business faculty.

“Dr. Hasan has an outstanding and very diverse research record. In addition, he is a gifted teacher and builder of relationships between students, the academy and the public and private sector who has a deep respect for Fordham’s Jesuit mission,” she said.

Hasan said he was interested in Fordham because of the University’s dedication to Jesuit education principles and the formidable team that Rapaccioli, Gautschi and Freedman represented.

“You have two deans in a school who are highly successful in their own academic endeavors, and at the same time, they have taken the role of an educator and an administrator for the enhancement for the schools reputation as well as the contribution to the society at large,” he said. “Fordham business schools have successfully created a nucleus of a number of very talented senior and junior faculty members and it would be a privilege to join this distinguished group and work together with these colleagues.”

When it comes to research, Hasan said he plans to explore how the recent consolidation and changes in the ownership structure of stock exchanges around the globe affect the liquidity of the market as well as the information content of stocks. He is also interested in understanding the underpinnings of financial contracts that multi-national banks rely on to lend money across products, firms, industry, and locations nationally and globally. Being based in New York City also provides plenty of opportunities for alliances and collaborations on cutting edge research and innovative teaching with the private entities.

“New York has been and will continue to be the financial center of the world for the years to come, and providing timely, relevant research that has direct applicability for industry partners, which in this case are banks and exchanges, will keep New York City relevant,” he said.

The Corrigan Chair in International Business and Finance was established by a gift from E. Gerald Corrigan, Ph.D., (GSAS ’65, ’71). Corrigan, a former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and is managing director of Goldman Sachs. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

In commenting on Hasan’s appointment, Corrigan said that “Dr. Hasan’s presence at Fordham here in New York City represents a highly valued addition to the city’s academic and business leadership.”

Home page image: E. Gerald Corrigan, Ph.D. (GSAS ’65, ’71) at February 2010 Flaum Leadership Lecture.