with Vyacheslav Fos and Elisabeth Kempf
Abstract: Executive teams in U.S. firms are becoming increasingly partisan. We establish this new fact using political affiliations from voter registration records for top executives of S&P 1500 firms between 2008 and 2020. The new fact is explained by both an increasing share of Republican executives and increased assortative matching by executives on political affiliation. Departures of politically misaligned executives are value-destroying for shareholders, implying the increasing political polarization of corporate America may not be in the financial interest of shareholders.
with Spyridon Lagaras, Maria-Teresa Marchica and Elena Simintzi
Abstract: We examine the sources and evolution of the gender pay gap in finance, using administrative micro data from the U.K. for 1997-2019. We show a persistently larger gender pay gap in finance, compared to other sectors. Exploiting employees who switch firms, we find the gender pay gap in finance is predominantly explained by more skilled male employees sorting into finance relative to other sectors. The gender pay gap in finance is relatively lower for flexible occupations, in firms that offer childcare benefits and in more female friendly environments. Over time, higher investment in human capital for women and sorting in high-skilled occupations within the sector as well as policy interventions have reduced the gender pay gap in finance.