Professor Introduction Research Field Publications
Zexi (Jesse) Wang is Professor of Finance at the Dishui Lake Advanced Finance Institute (DAFI), Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE). Prior to joining SUFE in 2026, he held faculty positions at Lancaster University and the University of Bern. He has also been a visiting scholar at The Ohio State University. Professor Wang received his PhD in Finance from the University of Zurich and the Swiss Finance Institute.
His research focuses on corporate finance, particularly corporate governance, executive compensation, and the real effects of financial markets. His work examines how financial markets, information environments, and corporate governance shape firm decisions and performance. His recent research also extends to sustainable finance, AI innovation, and data regulation.
His research has been published or is forthcoming in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Management Science, and Review of Finance. His research has also been recognized with the 2023 Best Paper Award from the Western Finance Association (WFA).
Email: wangzexi@mail.sufe.edu.cn
· Does Better Access to Disclosure Curb CEO Pay? Evidence from a Modern Information Technology Improvement, with Ilona Babenko, and Benjamin Bennett
o Forthcoming at the Journal of Finance
· Corporate Pension Risk-Taking in a Low Interest Rate Environment, with Vasso Ioannidou and Roberto Pinto
o Forthcoming at the Management Science
· Firm-Level Litigation Risk: Measurement and Effects, with Benjamin Bennett, Charles Ham, and Todd Milbourn
o Forthcoming at the Management Science
· Paid Leave Pays off: The Effects of Paid Family Leave on Firm Performance, with Benjamin Bennett, Isil Erel, and Lea Stern, Review of Finance 30, Issue 3 (2026), 887–919.
· The Effect of Stock Liquidity on Cash Holdings: The Repurchase Motive, with Kjell Nyborg, Journal of Financial Economics 142 (2021): 905-927.
· Does the Stock Market Make Firms More Productive?, with Benjamin Bennett and René Stulz, Journal of Financial Economics 136 (2020): 281-306.



