2024 FMA European Conference - Turin Hosts Global Finance Experts

Academics, experts, and decision-makers gathered in Italy to discuss the present and future of finance.

The 2024 FMA European Conference, hosted by the Financial Management Association International (FMA) in partnership with ESCP Business School, took place in Turin, Italy, from June 12 to 14 at the Intesa Sanpaolo Skyscraper. Over 300 participants from around the world came to discuss the future of finance and share research on various financial topics. 

The FMA European Conference was co-chaired by Professors Alberta Di Giuli, Dean of ESCP Business School Turin Campus, Santiago Barraza, Coordinator of the ESCP Finance Department, and Vikas Agarwal, Bank of America Distinguished Chair and Professor of Finance at Georgia State University.

"We are delighted to have brought the FMA European Conference to Turin in a year that sees the city as the Capital of Enterprise Culture," says Prof. Alberta Di Giuli, Dean of the ESCP Business School Turin Campus. "The event draws the most esteemed figures from the global academic and financial scene who will gather to share their research and discuss the next challenges for the international economy. The increasing complexity of the global landscape makes the development and dissemination of expertise and interaction between academics and practitioners even more important."

The conference featured eighty sessions of presentations and discussions, three special panels on Corporate Finance: ESG, Financial Intermediation and Investments, as well as a keynote address.
The keynote speaker, Laura Starks, a renowned expert on ESG issues, shared her insights on the impact and importance of environmental, social, and governance principles in finance. 

The event also included three special panels on Corporate Finance: ESG, Financial Intermediation, and Investments, which involved distinguished panelists and moderated such as Roni Michaely, Nickolay Gantchev, Alexander Wagner, Mariassunta Giannetti, George Pennacchi, José-Luis Peydró, Alberto Manconi, Bige Kahraman Alper, Roman Kräussl, Michelle Lowry, Ricardo Correa, and Kevin Mullally.

The panels covered a range of topics, including the role of ESG in finance, financial stability, fintech, equity and debt capital markets, hedge and mutual funds, bank lending, bank risk, market regulation, monetary policy, private equity and venture capital, M&As and leveraged buyouts, corporate investments and value creation, currency markets and risks, and politics and finance. 

Awards 

On Thursday, June 13, we hosted a sophisticated gala dinner at the Royal Museums. Following a tour of the royal palace, guests enjoyed an enchanting meal in the palace gardens. Before the feast, attendees were treated to speeches by Michelle Lui Lord, Professors Francesco Profumo, and Alberta Di Giuli, while Vikas Agarwal announced the Best Paper Award winners:

• Best Paper in Asset Pricing and Investments: "Disagreement of Disagreement" by Christian Goulding, Campbell Harvey, Hrvoje Kurtovic.
• Best Paper in Corporate Finance and Financial Institutions (tie):
  • "Firms' transition to green: Innovation versus lobbying" by Sungjoung Kwon, Michelle Lowry, Michela Verardo.
  • "The Disciplining Effect of Bank Supervision: Evidence from SupTech" by Hans Degryse, Cédric Huylebroek, Bernardus van Doornik.

The conference also included an elevator pitch competition, where participants presented their research in a fast-paced and engaging manner. The winners of the 2024 FMA European Conference Best Elevator Pitch Award were:

• "The value of organised networking: Evidence from the World Economic Forum" by Joerg J.R. Stahl, Universidade Catolica Portuguesa.
• "A Market-Level Tug of War: Asset Pricing on ... Days" by Lei Zhao, CFA, ESCP Business School.

The 2024 FMA European Conference was a resounding success. It brought together leading figures in finance to discuss the industry's future and share their research. The event was a testament to the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the pursuit of financial excellence.

The event was part of the "Torino, spazio al futuro" programme of initiatives and events for Turin 2024 Capital of Business Culture. The FMA European Conference was organised with the support of Turismo Torino e Provincia.

ABOUT FMA - Financial Management Association International 

Founded in 1970, the Financial Management Association International (FMA) is a world leader in developing and disseminating knowledge on financial decision-making. FMA's mission is to broaden common interests among academics and practitioners, provide opportunities for professional interaction among academics, practitioners and students, promote the development and understanding of basic and applied research and sound financial practices, and improve the quality of financial education.
FMA members include finance professionals, academics, and students interested in the techniques and advances that define the field of finance.