We analyze the relation between insider trading and the networks of executive and non-executive directors in UK listed companies. While most existing studies focus on firm-specific private information, we find that non-firm-specific information - such as information on other companies and...

This paper studies the effect on company performance of appointing non-executive directors that are also executive directors in other firms. The analysis is based on a new panel dataset of UK companies over 2002-2008. Our findings suggest a positive relationship between the presence of these...

Employing a unique dataset with varying grant sizes and exercise prices, we test the competing optimal option incentive models of Hall and Murphy (2000, 2002) (HM) and Baker and Hall (2004) (BH) which differ with respect to the impact of CEO productivity on incentive determination and also the...

We examine the effect of a CEO's military service on merger and acquisition decisions and outcomes. We find that acquirers led by CEOs with military backgrounds earn significantly higher abnormal stock returns at deal announcement, and these deals exhibit higher short-run and long-run synergies....

We test the option incentive models of Hall and Murphy (2000, 2002) and Choe (2003). Hall and Murphy (2000, 2002) posit optimal grant size and exercise price contingent on the executive's levels of risk aversion and private diversification. Choe (2003) relates these choices to firm...

Today, firms are facing a globally competitive environment. Against this backdrop, firms can ill afford to make mistakes in their capital budgeting and acquisition decisions. When making major decisions, firms may be faced with additional costs associated with managerial anchoring. Using...

This study investigates the importance of corporate boards by exploiting the predictions from a learning model in which capital markets process information and learn about the quality of incoming directors. The estimates suggest that upon the arrival of a new director, uncertainty about...

I investigate whether restrictive loan covenants disrupt or improve firms' operating performance. Using an instrumental variables approach to address the endogenous relationship between covenant strictness and firms' efficiency, I find that stricter loan covenants lead to an increase in...

We study the role of facial appearance in corporate director (re-)elections by means of director photographs published in annual reports. We find that shareholders use inferences from facial appearance in corporate elections, as a better (higher rated) appearance measure of a director reduces...

We study the role of facial appearance in corporate director (re-)elections by means of director photographs published in annual reports. We find that shareholders use inferences from facial appearance in corporate elections, as a better (higher rated) appearance measure of a director reduces...