5th Contemporary Issues in Financial Markets and Banking

Welcome to IFMB!

The objective of the conference is to address emerging gaps in finance and banking scholarship. The annual conference seeks to highlight the latest developments that could change the finance and banking landscape.

This is our fifth annual conference, you can also check the latest update on our Linkedin page.

“Participating in the 2nd Contemporary Issues in Financial Markets and Banking was astonishing, pushing virtual collaboration and knowledge exchange boundaries. Kudos to the organisers for the flawless execution!”
Christos Kallandranis, Assistant Professor in Finance at the University of West Attica, Greece.

“I would like to congratulate you for the successful organisation of such a seamless and impactful conference! The attention to detail was evident throughout the event like in all past IFMB Conferences.”
Nikolaos Papanikolaou, Senior Lecturer at the Newcastle University, UK

“I would like to congratulate you on the excellent organization of the conference and on the very rich and interesting programme.”
Paolo Rossi, Banca d’Italia, Italy

Submissions now come from over 150 institutions worldwide, spanning elite universities, central banks, and regulatory bodies such as Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, London School of Economics, Imperial College, London Business School, Bocconi University, KU Leuven, Tsinghua University, Australian National University, McGill University, Monash University, and the Indian Institutes of Management and Technology; major central banks such as the Bank of England, Norges Bank, Central Bank of Ireland, Central Bank of Chile, and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors; and influential organizations including the Bank for International Settlements and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Other participating universities and higher education institutions include Al Yamamah University; Anglia Ruskin University; Ariel University; Asia School of Business; Aston University; Athens University of Economics and Business; Auburn University; Bangor University; Bar Ilan University; Baruch College; Bond University; Boston College; Brunel University; Canterbury Christ Church University; CEMFI; Central University of Finance and Economics; Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business; China Foreign Affairs University; City University of Hong Kong; Claremont McKenna College; Cranfield University; Cyprus University of Technology; De Montfort University; Deakin University; Drexel University; Duke University; Durham University; Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul; Federation University Australia; Florida Atlantic University; Florida Polytechnic University; FUCAPE Business School; George Mason University; Glasgow Caledonian University; Gutenberg University of Mainz; Heriot Watt University; Hiroshima University; Hong Kong Baptist University; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Huaqiao University; Justus Liebig University Giessen; Kent University; King’s College London; Kingston University; Kyushu University; Laval University; London South Bank University; Loughborough University; Macquarie University; Manchester Metropolitan University; Nanjing University of Finance and Economics; National Bank of Moldova; New York University; Newcastle University; North Carolina State University; Northeastern University; Nottingham Trent University; Ohio University; Osmaniye Korkut Ata University; Paderborn University; Pennsylvania State University; Polish Academy of Sciences; Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; Princess Nourah Binti Abdulrahman University; Qatar University; Queen Mary University; Rice University; Rutgers University; Sabanci University; Santa Clara University; Shanghai University; Soochow University; St Francis Xavier University; State University of New York; Technical University of Munich; Temple University; The American College of Greece; The Open University of Israel; Tilburg University; United International College; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Università Degli Studi di Milano; Université Côte d’Azur; Universiti Sains Malaysia; University of Aegean; University of Bath; University of Bristol; University of Dublin; University of Dundee; University of Edinburgh; University of Exeter; University of Florida; University of Glasgow; University of Graz; University of International Business and Economics; University of Klagenfurt; University of Lancaster; University of Leeds; University of Leicester; University of Maryland; University of Massachusetts; University of Mauritius; University of Missouri; University of New Brunswick; University of New South Wales; University of North Carolina; University of Nottingham; University of Quebec; University of Reading; University of Roehampton; University of Scranton; Université de Sherbrooke; University of South Carolina; University of Southampton; University of Stirling; University of Strasbourg; University of Surrey; University of Texas (Rio Grande Valley and Dallas); University of Tokyo; University of Turin; University of Vaasa; University of West Attica; University of York; Vilnius University; Warsaw School of Economics; Wenzhou Kean University; Wrexham University; Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University; and Yeshiva University alongside consistent participation from central banks and regulators such as the Bank of England, Bank of International Settlements, Norges Bank, Central Bank of Ireland, Central Bank of Chile, the United States Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Conference Objectives:

1.To provide a network platform to bring early career researchers together to form links with experienced academics.
2.To establish supportive hubs to allow researchers to discuss the widespread effects of financial crises and the role of sustainable sources of financing to confront current and future economic crises.
3.To create a scholarly network to examine the challenges of dynamic decision-making in a business environment fit for the future.
4.To discuss the newer puzzles in finance and banking in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Keynote Speakers:

Professor Kewei Hou

Professor Kewei Hou’s primary research interest is in the area of empirical asset pricing with a specialization in the predictability of asset returns. He has published in the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Review of Finance, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and Management Science. Professor Hou is an Editor of the Journal of Empirical Finance, Associate Editor of the Journal of Banking and Finance and Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies, Faculty Research Fellow of the Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics, and the recipient of research grants from the Institute for Quantitative Research in Finance (Q-Group), INQUIRE-Europe, INQUIRE-UK, BSI GAMMA Foundation, Chicago Quantitative Alliance, and Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. Professor Hou joined the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business in 2001. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Professor Kose John

Kose John is the Charles William Gerstenberg Professor of Banking and Finance at the Stern School of Business, New York University. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He has also taught at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Institut D'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences PO). He has won several awards, including the Batterymarch Fellowship in 1983 and the Jensen Prize for the Best Paper published in 2000 in the Journal of Financial Economics. He is on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics for 2017. He is the author of two books (on futures markets and dividend policy) and the editor of 23 books and special issues of finance journals, on topics such as financial stability, financial distress, and valuation of distressed securities, corporate governance, and investments innovations in finance. He has published over 103 research articles in the major finance and economics journals. His recent research focuses on banking, financial crisis, corporate governance, top-management compensation, and financial distress, valuation of distressed claims, and comparative bankruptcy and governance systems. He has completed 57 Working Papers in addition to his published work. He serves as the President of the Financial Management Association International. He also serves as the Program Chair of the Association of Financial Economists. He has been a mentor and advisor to a large number (90) of doctoral students who are finance professors and finance practitioners all over the world. Dr. John received his Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Kerala, India, his master’s in computer science from the Florida Institute of Technology, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Management Science from the University of Florida.

Professor Jonathan Karpoff

Jonathan M. Karpoff is the Washington Mutual Endowed Chair in Innovation and Professor of Finance at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Jon’s research seeks to understand how and when Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand works, or does not work, to coordinate economic activities and promote social well-being. This research addresses topics ranging from fisheries management to arctic exploration and business misconduct – and has been recognized with the Griliches Prize, Sharpe Award, and other awards. A recent study finds that Jon’s research impact ranks in the top 0.6% of all scientists worldwide.  Jon’s work also is frequently cited in media outlets – including The New York Times, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and podcasts, including The Secret History of the Future. Jon believes that teaching is a two-way street;  he thrives on learning from students and inspiring students’ appreciation for economic and financial insights that apply to everyday life.  Jon has delivered keynotes, seminars, and classes to audiences throughout North America and in more than a dozen other countries around the world.  At the Foster School’s Executive MBA and PhD programs, Jon has received 15 teaching and mentoring awards since 2010. Jon was inducted as a Fellow of the Financial Management Association in 2016 and recognized with the Outstanding Contributions to Research in Corporate Governance award from the Drexel University Center for Corporate Governance. Jon serves as Associate Editor for The Journal of Finance and Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and as an Advisory Editor for Financial Management and the British Accounting Review.  He previously served as Managing Editor of the JFQA (1989-2003), President of The Financial Management Association International (2004-2005), and Associate Editor for the Journal of Financial Economics (2008-2021) and Management Science (2010-2016). He is a member of the European Corporate Governance Institute and serves on the Executive Committee for the Financial Economists Roundtable.  Jon is a long-time supporter of The PhD Project, and recently was appointed to direct the mentoring project that is sponsored by the  American Finance Association's Committee on Racial Diversity (CORD).

Professor Philipp Schnabl

Philipp Schnabl is the Martin J. Gruber Professor in Asset Management and Professor of Finance at the New York University Stern School of Business, as well as the Sidney Homer Director of the Saloman Center for the Study of Financial Institutions. He is a Research Associate in Corporate Finance at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a Research Affiliate in Financial Economics at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Professor Schnabl studies financial intermediation, monetary policy, and corporate finance. His work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Review of Economic Studies, the Journal of Finance, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Review of Financial Studies. His work received several awards, including the Journal of Finance’s 2012 Brattle Best Paper Prize and its 2018 Amundi Pioneer Distinguished Paper Prize. Professor Schnabl earned his Ph.D from the Economics Department at Harvard University, his M.P.A. from the Harvard Kennedy School, and his B.A. and M.A. from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration.

Previous Keynote Speakers:

The keynote and editorial roster reflects the highest level of scholarly prestige, featuring Sir Oliver Hart of Harvard University (Nobel Prize in Economics, 2016); Tarun Ramadorai of Imperial College, Editor of the Review of Financial Studies (CABS 4*, ABDC A*, FT50); Thierry Foucault of HEC Paris, Co-Managing Editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis (CABS 4, ABDC A*, FT50); Dirk Jenter of the London School of Economics, Associate Editor of the Journal of Finance (CABS 4*, ABDC A*, FT50); Dimitri Vayanos of LSE, past Managing Editor of the Review of Economic Studies (CABS 4*, ABDC A*, FT50), Klaus Schaeck of University of Bristol, Associate Editor of the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking (CABS 4; ABDC A*), Morten Bennedsen of University of Copenhagen, Associate Editor of the Journal of Corporate Finance (CABS 4; ABDC A*) and Luigi Zingales of University of Chicago, Associate Editor of the European Financial Management (CABS 3; ABDC A). Other distinguished contributors include Douglas Cumming, (past Editor of the Journal of Corporate Finance – CABS 4; ABDC A*), Brian Lucey (past Editor of the International Review of Financial Analysis – CABS 3; ABDC A), Cheng Few Lee (Editor of the Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting – CABS 3; ABDC A), Michael S. Pagano and Tina Yang (Joint Editors of The Financial Review – CABS 3; ABDC A), Muhammad Ali Nassir (past Editor of the Journal of Environmental Management – CABS 3; ABDC A), and Luc Renneboog (Associate Editor of the Journal of Banking and Finance – CABS 3; ABDC A*).

Topics:

The scientific and organising committee welcomes submissions in all areas of banking and finance for presentation at the conference. Early submission is highly encouraged, and the decision is made as soon as the review is complete. The main topics of the conference include:

Financial resilience; Green, climate and sustainable finance; Decentralised finance and disruptive financial technologies; Theoretical asset pricing; Empirical asset pricing, liquidity and behavioural economics and finance; Risk management; Financial inclusion; Alternative investments; Crowd-funding; Islamic banking; Banking and financial sector stability and regulation; Financial (dis)integration and Brexit; Artificial intelligence, machine and deep learning applications in finance; Corporate finance and sustainable energy financing; Crisis investment and portfolio management; Corporate governance; International financial management and investment; Market microstructure; Household finance; Real estate and property markets; Metaverse and Blockchain technologies in finance. Intersection between finance and economic theory, especially financial applications of game theory, decision theory, and computational financial economics (including multi-agent models and econophysics); experimental economics with implications for financial theory and practice.

For queries, please send an email to ifmb@ntu.ac.uk

Publication Opportunities

The Financial Review Journal (ABS3)

The Conference Organising Committee is pleased to announce that several papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication in The Financial Review (FR) (ABS3*). These papers will undergo a blind peer-review process.

This opportunity follows a 'no-fault' submission policy: if The Financial Review decides to review but ultimately reject a paper, the author(s) may resubmit it through the journal’s standard submission process. Please note that submitted papers must not be under review by any other journal.

A submission fee of USD 175 applies. However, selected papers may receive financial support from the Conference to cover this fee. Additionally, The Financial Review and the Eastern Finance Association (EFA) have agreed to sponsor the conference’s Best Paper Award. As part of a special arrangement between FR, EFA, and the Conference Organising Committee, a submission fee waiver will be granted for up to three submissions.

The Journal of Empirical Finance (ABS3)

The Conference Organising Committee has secured a dual submission option with the Journal of Empirical Finance (JEF). We will invite selected conference papers to submit to the JEF Editor for consideration after the conference. At the Editor's discretion, the Editor will formally invite these authors to submit to the JEF. These invited papers by the Editor will be sent for formal review and will receive copies of the referee report. The author(s) will need to pay the submission fees at the time of JEF submission.

We are also actively pursuing Special Issues or Sections with other reputable journals and will announce further publication opportunities in due course.

Registrations and Paper Submissions:

• Interested participants should register for the conference using the following form and then proceed with the process below:
• After registration, you should receive an email that provides access to the conference's SharePoint site. Once logged in, participants can submit their papers for review by the scientific committee.
• If the paper is accepted after review, participants will be informed of the outcome via email. The paper will be allocated a presentation slot (via Microsoft Teams) in the relevant session, depending on the topic on the day of presentation. More details on the presentation will follow closer to the presentation dates.
• Participants will then proceed to make a payment of £100 for doctoral students or £150 for regular submissions before they can attend or present at the conference. This payment will also grant access to all conference materials (e.g., submitted papers and recorded presentations) for one month after the conference.
• The conference is also open to anyone who wishes to access the presentations and papers but does not wish to submit any papers. However, a £150 access fee will be required.
• The submission should be a fully developed manuscript. We do not impose any style requirements.
• After the conference proceedings, we will also announce the Best Paper Award.

Important Dates:

Deadline for paper submissions: 15 November 2026 (Sunday, 5 pm UK time)

Deadline for payment: 18 December 2026 (Friday, 5 pm UK time)

Deadline for requesting changes to presentation slots: 22 January 2027 (Friday, 5 pm UK time) 

Deadline for submitting presentation and discussant slides: 5 February 2027 (Friday, 5 pm UK time)

Conference dates: 10 February to 11 February 2027 (Wednesday and Thursday)

FAQs:

Q: Is the conference online or onsite?

A: The conference is completely online.

Q: I am a PhD student. Can I submit my work to the IFMB 2027 conference?

A: We welcome work from researchers, practitioners, academics and PhD candidates.

Q: How do I submit and track my paper in SharePoint?

A: There is a section on the home page for you to submit/upload your paper for review. Please start there and follow the on-screen information.

Q: Can I appeal the outcome of my paper review?

A: All decisions from the review process are final.

Q: Can I present more than one paper at the conference?

A: No, you can’t present more than one paper at the conference.

Q: What is my Paper ID?

A: There is a section on the SharePoint home page for you to track your submission. After your paper is uploaded, it should appear there with a Paper ID.

Q: Why can’t I access the conference materials?

A: The conference materials include all submitted papers and recorded presentations. Access will be available upon payment of the registration fee.

Q: If there is more than one presenter for the conference, should the other presenters need to pay for the conference fees?

A: Yes, all presenters will need to pay the conference fees. The payment will enable us to add them to our system and give them access to all our conference materials.

Q: Once the discussant has completed their PowerPoint slides, where and how to upload them?

A: Please send both the presentation slides and discussion slides to ifmb@ntu.ac.uk.

Q: How to access the recordings of sessions after the conference?

A: All the recordings will be uploaded to Sharepoint.

Q: Tell me more about the Best Paper Award

A: The organising committee will select the best paper and award the certificate to the presenting author.

Q: Is there any fee waiver for the publication opportunities?

A: The organising committee will invite shortlisted papers to submit to the journals. The invitation will include information about fee waivers (if any).

Q: Are all papers submitted to the conference eligible for shortlisting for Special Issues/Sections/Collaborations?

A: Yes. If you do not wish for your paper to be considered for shortlisting in these journals, please let us know by contacting us by email at ifmb@ntu.ac.uk when submitting your paper.

Programme Organisers:

Thong Dao, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Yassine Essanaani, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Jeremy Cheah, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Dr. Mamata Parhi, University of Roehampton, UK (Invited)

Mehmet Sahiner, University of Dundee, UK (Invited)

Paper Reviewers:

Padmi Nagirikandalage, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Thao Nguyen, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Linzhi Tan, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Sercan Demiralay, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Florian Biermann, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Athanasios Tsekeris, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK (Invited)

International Scientific Committee and Collaborators:

Prof. Duc Khuong Nguyen, University of Cambridge, UK

Prof. Tapas Mishra, University of Southampton, UK

Prof. Van Son Lai, Laval University, Canada

Prof. Paul McGuinness, University of Sheffield, UK

Prof. Serkan Cicek, Muğla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey

Associate Prof. Sofia Johan, Florida Atlantic University, US

Prof. Hung Do, Massey University, New Zealand

Prof. Tam Nguyen, Nottingham Trent University

Associate Prof. Shan Wu, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, China

Dr. Toan Huynh, Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Prof. Alper Kara, Brunel University, UK

Prof. Ugur Soytas, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark

Associate Prof. Samet Gunay, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest

Associate Prof. Erhan Kilincarslan, University of Huddersfield, UK

Assistant Prof. Suliman Alshahmy, Heriot-Watt University, UAE

Professor Klaus Schaeck, University of Bristol, UK

Professor Kotaro Miwa, Kyushu University, Japan

Prof. Sabri Boubaker, EM Normandie School, France