Professor Augustin appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Banking and Finance

Congratulations to Patrick Augustin, Associate Professor of Finance, for his appointment as Associate Editor of the Journal of Banking and Finance.

Plans for Canadian digital currency remain on hold

With digital currencies like Bitcoin gaining traction in the e-commerce space, banks are considering the challenge of integrating digital and paper currencies while protecting user privacy. Although the Bank of Canada has no immediate plans to implement a government-backed digital currency, Professor Katrin Tinn wouldn't rule out a shift to cryptocurrency in the future.

Putting ESG front and center

Meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards continues to weigh heavily on the agenda for Canadian companies across industries. As Desautels strives to prepare students to meet evolving demands, Professor Sebastien Betermier highlights the importance of integrating ESG considerations into coursework--but not at the expense of fundamental concepts.

Bridging generational gaps through pension reform

In light of ongoing Dutch pension reforms, Professor Sebastien Betermier underscores the need for successful pension funds to balance individual and collective responsibility for risk-taking. From his perspective, a hybrid plan is crucial to meet stakeholder needs across generational lines.

Q&A with Professor Katrin Tinn

Get to know Assistant Professor Katrin Tinn, who teaches in the Finance area, in a new Q&A. She discusses her research on digital currencies and stock trading, her teaching style - including how she integrates her research - and her interest in art.

Prof Sebastien Betermier's paper wins the 2021 Morgan Stanley Best Paper Award in Investments

Congratulations to Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance, whose paper “What Do the Portfolios of Individual Investors Reveal About the Cross-Section of Equity Returns?” is the winner of the 2021 Morgan Stanley Best Paper Award in Investments.

Q&A with Professor David Schumacher

Get to know Associate Professor David Schumacher, who teaches in the McGill Desautels Master of Management in Finance, in a new Q&A. He discusses his research on institutional investment, his teaching style, his love of road biking and more!

Delve: Why Ultra-Low Yields Don’t Mean the End of Sustainable Pension Funds

Retirement systems around the world, from public pension plans to private funds, are weathering a storm of ultra-low bond yields that threaten not only adequate returns for pensioners but the sustainability of the systems themselves. Designing retirement systems that are resilient to low yields requires balancing risk with resilience and innovative approaches.

Desmarais Faculty Scholar Awards reward leading finance research

First awarded in 2007 and generously supported by Paul Desmarais, Jr., the Desmarais Faculty Scholar Awards are given in three year cycles to leading Desautels finance researchers.

Putting QE in the rearview mirror

With the winding down of Canadian quantitative easing policies, announced recently by the Bank of Canada’s Governor Tiff Macklem, Professor Sebastien Betermier comments on the effects of rising bond yields on pension plans. Yields across the Canadian economy currently remain at historically low levels due to inflation and supply shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Sujata Madan Award recognizes community-minded students

Eleven Desautels alumni have banded together to establish a new student award in honor of Professor of Practice Sujata Madan. Rather than being based on academic merit, the scholarship will be awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding collaboration, empathy, kindness, and respect toward their peers and wider communities.

Delve: A Digital Currency for the Public by the Public

Could a Central Bank Digital Currency ensure privacy and transparency for every transaction? A new model of digital currency by Desautels Professor Katrin Tinn proposes a secure yet anonymous “asymmetric privacy” alternative to cash, traditional bank transactions, and cryptocurrency. “A public institution is in a better position to design a digital currency that has the correct incentives,” says Tinn. 

Professor Betermier’s paper awarded by NFA

Congratulations to Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance, whose paper “What Do the Portfolios of Individual Investors Reveal About the Cross-Section of Equity Returns” is the Winner of Best Paper in Asset Pricing and Market Microstructure at the 2021 Northern Finance Association (NFA) Meeting.

Digital currency a solution to dwindling cash transactions?

Over the last ten years, cash payments have been in a free fall and experts predict that by 2030, they could make up for just 10% of monetary transactions.

Reaching for yield or resiliency? Explaining the shift in Canadian pension plan portfolios

Authors: Sébastien Betermier, Nicholas Byrne, Jean-Sébastien Fontaine, Hayden Ford, Jason Ho, Chelsea Mitchell

Publication: Bank of Canada, Staff Analytical Note 2021-20, August 2021