About the lecture
Corporations have never been more powerful. From Silicon Valley to Beijing, they dictate the pace of technological change, shape political discourse and determine who thrives in the global economy.
But who are they really working for? Are they drivers of innovation and public good or tools of elite influence, geopolitical power and economic control? If corporations wield as much power as states, should they be held to the same democratic standards?
Professor Grosman will seek to answer these questions and challenge conventional wisdom about the relationship between governments, corporations and society.
Based on her recent research, and economic and political developments, she will examine how ownership, corporate governance and political connections shape whether corporations serve the public or private good. She will also expand on how state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds are used by governments to exert influence, especially over international interests.
She will also focus on how corporations are controlling money – banks, fintech and big tech – and why governments are pushing back (for example, central bank digital currencies) to either reclaim financial sovereignty or tighten government control over economic life.
About the lecturer
Professor Anna Grosman holds a PhD from Imperial College London. Her research explores the fields of international business, corporate finance, entrepreneurship and innovation. She particularly focuses on how governments’ policies, international relations, and political and social agendas influence firm outcomes at home or abroad.
Her work appears in a range of publications including the Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business and British Journal of Management. She is on the editorial review boards of Global Strategy Journal and Journal of World Business, and co-edited special issues in Global Strategy Journal, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of World Business, The Oxford Handbook of State Capitalism and the Firm and The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Finance.
She has secured numerous research grants and scholarships, including from funding councils (British Academy, Higher Education Innovation Funding and EPSRC), public institutions (South African Reserve Bank) and non-profit organisations (Strategic Management Society, and the Society for the Advancement of Management Studies).
Prior to her academic career, for four years she worked for the US multinational Georgia-Pacific as a Director of Corporate Strategy. Before that, she worked for six years in investment banking and corporate finance for CIBC World Markets, Citigroup and Close Brothers.
For further information on this lecture, please contact the Events team.
