Press
Filene Research Institute welcomes Western University Professor of Law Christopher Nicholls as a research fellow
MADISON, WI (November 23, 2013) — Filene Research Institute welcomes Christopher Nicholls as a new research fellow. Nicholls joins eight other individuals from prominent universities, nonprofits and financial organizations across North America currently serving as research fellows.
Filene introduced its research fellows program in 2005 to create a formal link to top thought leaders in the academic, nonprofit and financial services worlds. The research fellows advise, counsel and interact with Filene to create vital and beneficial research surrounding the financial industry.
“When searching out new research fellows, we look for people that are visionaries in their fields and passionate about building the future of cooperative finance,” said Mark Meyer, CEO at Filene. “Christopher’s expertise in financial regulation and practical application of it will play an integral role in helping Filene drive change that’s grounded in truth for credit unions and their members.”
“One of the important benefits of Credit Union Central of Canada’s partnership with Filene is the opportunity to have an accomplished Canadian academic such as Christopher bring a Canadian perspective to the Filene research table,” said Brigitte Goulard, vice president, policy at CUCC. “We look forward to working with him over the term of his fellowship with Filene.”
Christopher Nicholls – http://filene.org/about/profile/christopher-nicholls – is a Professor of Law at Western University in Ontario, Canada, where he is the Stephen Dattels Chair in corporate finance law. He focuses on finance and securities regulation, and financial innovation and risk management. Nicholls has taught courses on financial institution regulation as well as corporate finance and securities regulation. He previously practiced corporate finance and securities law with two of Toronto’s largest corporate law firms and in Hamilton, Bermuda.
“Credit unions are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in the coming years in pioneering innovations in household and consumer finance,” said Nicholls. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity, as a Filene research fellow, to be part of a network of scholars, practitioners and policy makers exploring creative and practical ways to think about finance and financial institutions.”
Filene’s current group of research fellows additionally include:
Michael Barr, Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. Previously he served as Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions of the U.S. Treasury Department, where he helped to develop and pass the Dodd-Frank Act and the Consumer Protection Act.
Dennis Campbell, an expert on designing organizations and management systems for more effective strategy execution. He’s a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and previously worked at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.
Annamaria Lusardi, the Academic Director of the Global Center for Financial Literacy at the George Washington School of Business, and director of the Financial Literacy Center. Her research primarily focuses on financial education, planning and management.
Jonathan Morduch, a Professor of Public Policy and Economics at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and executive director of the Financial Access Initiative, a research center focused on financial inclusion. He focuses on microfinance, social investment and poverty economics.
Hope Schau, the Gary M. Munsinger Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Eller College of Management, University of Arizona. Her research explores the impact of technology on marketplace relationships, branding, identity-salient consumption practices and collaborative value creation.
Ellen Seidman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, specializing in housing issues, and director of the Center for Financial Services Innovation. Prior to that she advanced financial services delivery to low- and moderate-income consumers as a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation.
Eldar Shafir, William Stewart Tod Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Department of Psychology and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He studies behavioral economics, mainly how people’s decisions affect financial outcomes.
Dorian Stone, partner in the San Francisco Office of McKinsey & Company, and leader of its North American Service Operations and Customer Experience practices in financial services. He serves clients in the financial sector across most operations and transformation issues.
For more information on interviews and other media requests with Filene’s research fellows, contact Kate Lawton at 608.661.3758 or katel(at)filene(dot)org.
About Filene: Filene Research Institute is an independent, consumer finance think and do tank dedicated to scientific and thoughtful analysis about issues affecting the future of credit unions, retail banking and cooperative finance. Filene is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Nearly 1,000 members make the Institute’s research, innovation and impact programs possible.