Finance Workshop
2026 Finance Research Workshop Held at Minerva Han
The 2026 Finance Research Workshop, organized by Sabancı Business School, took place on Friday, August 14, 2026, at Minerva Han in Karaköy. The event, themed "Topics in Sustainable Finance," brought together academics from various universities worldwide to share their work in the field of finance. This year's event was coordinated by Dr. Bünyamin Önal, a faculty member at Sabancı Business School.
The opening speech was given by Ayşegül Toker, Dean of Sabancı Sabancı Business School. Following the opening, sessions covered a range of topics, from sustainable investments and the role of artificial intelligence in asset management to women executives and the relationship between gender and performance in the banking sector.
Current Research in Finance Discussed
In the first session of the program, Caroline Flammer from Columbia University presented her work titled "Blended Finance: Scaling Sustainable Investing in Emerging and Developing Economies." Following Flammer, Vikram Nanda from UT Dallas addressed the role of artificial intelligence in asset management with his presentation titled “Will AI Replace or Enhance Human Intelligence in Asset Management?”.
In the first session of the afternoon, Renee Adams from the University of Oxford shared her study titled “Men's Intuition? Female Directors and Why Selection Matters” with the participants. Then Marco Ceccarelli from VU Amsterdam gave a presentation titled “Gender, Performance, and Promotion in the Labor Market for Commercial Bankers”.
Hakan Orbay Young Researcher Award Presented
In the ceremony held in the final part of the 2026 Finance Research Workshop, the Hakan Orbay Young Researcher Award was presented to Adrian Aycan Corum from Cornell University for his study titled “The Stick or the Carrot? The Role of Regulation and Liquidity in Activist Short-termism”.
Sabancı University School of Management hosted the second edition of the Finance Workshop on May 26, 2025, at Minerva Han in Karaköy, Istanbul. Bringing together leading academics and professionals from the finance community, the event explored sustainability in finance from a variety of perspectives.
Finance Workshop 2025 commenced with opening remarks by Sabancı University President Prof. Yusuf Leblebici and Dean of the School of Management Prof. Ayşegül Toker. The workshop featured presentations by internationally recognized scholars in the field of finance, including Prof. Kai Li, Associate Prof. Julian Koelbel, Associate Prof. Vesa Pursiainen, and Associate Prof. Emirhan İlhan, who shared their latest research and insights with participants.
ESG Investment Funds and Sustainable Finance
Prof. Kai Li from the University of British Columbia presented her research titled “Green Products,” examining the relationship between green products, firms’ commitment to environmental sustainability, and corporate value and reputation. Associate Prof. Julian Koelbel from the University of St. Gallen shared findings from his study, “The Puzzle of ESG Fund Fees,” which investigates the fee structures of ESG investment funds in the United States.
Climate Change and Financial Decision-Making
Associate Prof. Vesa Pursiainen of the University of St. Gallen presented “The Carbon Cost of Competitive Pressure,” highlighting the impact of competitive pressures on firms’ sustainability efforts. Associate Prof. Emirhan İlhan from the National University of Singapore discussed the financial implications of climate change through his research, “Sea Level Rise and Portfolio Choice,” which explores how climate-related risks influence investment decisions and portfolio allocation.
Hakan Orbay Research Award Presented to Jeong Ho Kim
As part of the event, the 2024 Hakan Orbay Research Award was presented to Associate Prof. Jeong Ho Kim of Florida State University. Following the award ceremony, Kim delivered a presentation on his award-winning research, “Optimal Communication in Banking Supervision,” and shared the key findings of his study with attendees.
Advancing Sustainability at the School of Management
Centered around the theme of sustainable finance, Finance Workshop 2025 once again demonstrated the School of Management’s commitment to advancing research and fostering international academic collaboration in sustainability-related fields. Building on its ongoing efforts in this area, the School recently launched a Sustainability Minor Program, which will welcome its first cohort of students in the upcoming academic year.
