Ann Owen, the Henry Platt Bristol Chair of Public Policy and Professor of Economics, recently presented a paper in Madrid at the Conference on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Economics, Finance, and Central Banking.
Owen’s paper, “Board of Directors’ Networks, Gender, and Firm Performance in a Male-Dominated Industry: Evidence from U.S. Banking,” was co-authored with Judit Temesvary and Andrew Wei. It focused on how professional and social networks within boards of directors affect bank performance.
Owen said that “because these networks are dominated by men, previous work on the effects of these networks draw conclusions only about male networks.” She presented research findings that reveal a different role for the networks of women, showing that they help to improve bank performance by helping female board members – who are in a small minority – gain influence.
The annual conference includes policy makers and academics, providing an opportunity to learn from academic research about recent findings that would help promote diversity and inclusion in the areas of economics, finance, and central banking. It is sponsored by The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, Bank of Canada, Bank of England, and the Bank of Spain, with hosting rotating among the sponsoring organizations each year. The Bank of Spain hosted this year’s meeting.
