2019 Best 40 Under 40 Professors: Christian Eufinger, IESE Business School

Christian Eufinger

Assistant Professor of Financial Management

IESE Business School

Christian Eufinger’s research in banking, corporate finance, and corporate governance has been cited almost 400 times by other scholars. The 36-year-old assistant professor of financial management’s work also includes chapters in a book on Post-Crisis Recapitalization of Banks in Japan and Europe.

Eufinger studied Business Administration and Engineering at Darmstadt University before earning his Master’s Degree in Quantitative Finance and Ph.D. in Finance at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. He has been published in top journals including The Review of Financial Studies and Management Science. Eufinger, an ERASMUS scholar, has received nine grants and awards including a Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) grant, Bank de France Foundation Grant, and 2017 Agency for Management of University and Research (AGAUR) Grant.

“(Christian is) very organized and very structured,” one nomination said. “He clearly has a deep understanding and knowledge the subject. Connects with the students well and is able to teach in a manner that allows the students to think while implementing the framework being taught.”

Current Age: 36

At current institution since what year? 2014

Education: Ph.D. in Finance and M.Sc. in Quantitative Finance, Goethe University Frankfurt. Diploma in Business Administration and Engineering, Darmstadt University.

List of current MBA courses you currently teach: Operational Finance, Corporate Finance, and Banking

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LIFE AS A PROFESSOR:

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… during my Ph.D. I realized that I am addicted to doing research. But at the same time, I wanted to remain in close contact with the corporate world. Hence, becoming a business school professor was an obvious choice.

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? Currently, I am investigating the implications of an extended period of accommodative monetary policy on the banking sector and the channels through which banks exert an influence on the real economy. The results from these research projects highlight the importance of a well-capitalized banking sector for an efficient allocation of credit.

If I weren’t a business school professor… I would love to be a comedy writer or start my own business. Realistically, I would have probably become a consultant or banker.

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? Students frequently tell me that they like my German teaching style, by which they either mean the clear class structure or my pleasant German accent. Hard to tell.

One word that describes my first-time teaching: Bumpy.

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: How much fun it is.

Professor you most admire and why: Very tough question. There are so many. Probably, I have been most influenced by the work of Franklin Allen, Raghuram Rajan, and Viral Acharya as their work got me interested and inspired to do banking research.

STUDENTS:

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? The constant exposure to fresh and new ideas that might significantly impact the business world in the future.

What is most challenging? Getting students excited about the discounted cash flow method during a Friday morning class.

Using just one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious

Using just one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Arrogant

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… in a world in which I would not have to comply with IESE’s bell curve grading policy: generous

LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM:

What are your hobbies? All sorts of sports (gradually shifting from actively doing it to passively consuming it), but especially basketball, football, and more recently tennis.

How will you spend your summer? Visiting family and friends and getting some research work done.

Favorite place(s) to vacation: Mallorca

Favorite book(s): The nerdy answer: Contract Theory by Patrick Bolton and Mathias Dewatripont as it shaped the way how I think about economic problems and mechanisms.

What is your favorite movie and/or television show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? My favorite movie is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I generally like the filmography of Sergio Leone, but for me, this is his masterpiece. I also really enjoyed Eli Wallach’s performance in the movie.

Favorite type of music and/or favorite artist: It really depends on my mood and activity. Electronic music when I like to get energized. Classic rock and pop to relax. If I have to name a favorite song, it has to be the live version of Prince’s Purple Rain.

THOUGHTS OF REFLECTIONS:

If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this…

Since I am a strong believer in the usefulness of (power) naps, I would like to see more resting facilities.

In your opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at doing what?

Finding a better balance between using big data to serve clients better, and keeping the clients’ data secure and their privacy protected.

Faculty and administrators say:

“Christian is a great professor; he has the ability to make complex things easier; he applies his great analytical skills to relevant problems and based on that sheds light and gives guidance during class discussions. I understand why students love his classes!” – Julia Prats, Associate Dean of MBA Programs, IESE

“Very organized and very structured. Clearly has a deep understanding and knowledge the subject. Connects with the students well and is able to teach in a manner that allows the students to think while implementing the frame work being taught. Outstanding!”

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