In 2006 I obtained a PhD in Finance from Queen’s University Belfast. I have held academic positions at Queen’s University Belfast, The University of Ulster, and more recently The University of Stirling where I was the Head of Accounting and Finance.

My research applies contemporary econometric techniques to historical settings. Much of this work examines how the evolving legal environment in nineteenth century Great Britain impacted investor behaviour and governance structures in early British companies. Addressing topics such as firm performance and banking crisis, I have examined the impact of major financial events such as the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank in 1878. My current work focuses on the evolution of corporate law, in an attempt to better understand if private contracting acted as a substitute for mandatory shareholder protection.

This research has been funded by bodies such as The Leverhulme Trust and The British Academy; and I have published in journals including The Review of Financial Studies, The Economic History Review and The Journal of Economic History.