EDHEC professor named best researcher under 40
On March 26th, Europlace Institute of Finance named EDHEC professor Kim Peijnenburg the ‘Best Researcher under 40 in Finance and Insurance in France’. The award is a testament to her trailblazing work, which breaks down barriers across different academic fields.
An inspiring award
Every year, the Europlace Institute of Finance (IEF) recognizes the work of one scholar under 40 for their standout research in the field of finance and insurance. The organization is a public utility that supports research within finance, with a focus on private sector needs. The jury is composed of leading minds from across the globe and this year they awarded EDHEC professor Kim Peijnenburg the much-acclaimed prize. “It is an honor to have been chosen,” explains Kim, “as I know there are so many great researchers there, so I feel very humbled to have been singled out.”
The prize was awarded during the Rising Talents in Finance and Insurance event, organized by the Louis Bachelier Institute, which highlights innovation within the field of financial research. For Michael Antioco, Dean of Faculty and Research, Kim is an example to many of us: “She is curious, hard-working and has a keen eye for research trends that can make an impact. This prize that recognizes her numerous qualities as researcher is very well deserved. We are all proud to count her in the faculty.”
Breaking down barriers
Kim’s findings have been published in several leading journals such as The Review of Financial Studies, the Economic Journal and the Journal of Financial Economics. The Europlace Institute drew particular attention to one research paper that brought together the work of two EDHEC professors. Kim Peijnenburg collaborated with Gianpaolo Parise on a study that explores noncognitive abilities and financial stress. “I have always been interested in breaking down barriers between academic fields. I find the intersection of psychology and finance/economics particularly interesting. We thought it would be useful to see how personality traits impact financial decisions. There is a growing interest in the financial industry in so-called financial personalities, how people spend and invest their money, so it seemed like the perfect time to explore this topic.” Their findings were published in 2019 in The Review of Financial Studies and the two professors have collaborated on several other research projects since.
A professor with a difference
Kim Peijnenburg has been a professor at EDHEC’s Nice campus for two and a half years and shares the school’s drive to be at the forefront of business trends, research and learning. “You have to be at the cutting edge for your work to stand out”, she explains. She adds that the entrepreneurial flair you find at EDHEC business school is also very relevant to the field of research. “You get a lot of freedom, but it is also a lot of hard work, so it’s actually quite similar to running your own business!”
