Financial Expertise of Directors

Posted: 19 Aug 2008

See all articles by A. Burak Guner

A. Burak Guner

Citadel

Ulrike Malmendier

University of California, Berkeley - Department of Economics; University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Geoffrey A. Tate

University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: May 1, 2008

Abstract

We analyze how directors with financial expertise affect corporate decisions. Using a novel panel data set, we find that financial experts exert significant influence, though not necessarily in the interest of shareholders. When commercial bankers join boards, external funding increases and investment-cash flow sensitivity decreases. However, the increased financing flows to firms with good credit but poor investment opportunities. Similarly, investment bankers on boards are associated with larger bond issues but worse acquisitions. We find little evidence that financial experts affect compensation policy. The results suggest that increasing financial expertise on boards may not benefit shareholders if conflicting interests (e.g., bank profits) are neglected.

Keywords: corporate governance, bankers, boards of directors

JEL Classification: G24, G38

Suggested Citation

Guner, A. Burak and Malmendier, Ulrike and Tate, Geoffrey A., Financial Expertise of Directors (May 1, 2008). Journal of Financial Economics (JFE), Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 323-354, May 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1235104

A. Burak Guner (Contact Author)

Citadel ( email )

Chicago, IL 60603
United States

Ulrike Malmendier

University of California, Berkeley - Department of Economics ( email )

549 Evans Hall #3880
Berkeley, CA 94720-3880
United States
(510) 642-8724 (Phone)
(510) 642-6615 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.berkeley.edu/~ulrike/

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business ( email )

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Berkeley, CA 94720
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

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Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.iza.org/en/webcontent/personnel/photos/index_html?key=918

Geoffrey A. Tate

University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business ( email )

College Park, MD 20742-1815
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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