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.