Dr Bilal Hafeez

(he/him)

Overview

Dr Bilal Hafeez is a Lecturer in Finance at Cardiff Business School and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He teaches across three postgraduate modules: Quantitative Methods in Finance, Global Investments, and AI Applications in Finance. He integrates research-led finance education with the thoughtful use of AI tools to enhance student engagement, applied learning, and analytical skill development. Before joining Cardiff, he was a Lecturer and Administrator of the Investment Room at Massey University in New Zealand, where he also earned his PhD in Finance.

Bilal’s research examines how institutional environments shape corporate behaviour and financial market outcomes. He focuses on how formal structures such as governance systems, legal heritage and regulatory frameworks, alongside informal influences including cultural norms and religious practices, condition corporate decisions and investor responses. His work spans shareholder voting and activism, earnings management, and the financial consequences of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) events, as well as climate risks and policy uncertainty. To address these questions, he draws on large and complex datasets, combining econometric analysis with textual and machine learning approaches. At the core of his research is an effort to explain how institutions and external shocks interact with corporate finance, shaping both firm behaviour and the resilience of global capital markets.

He has published in leading journals, including the British Journal of Management, Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, the International Review of Financial Analysis, the International Review of Finance, and Finance Research Letters.

Alongside his academic work, Bilal has professional consulting experience, contributing to projects with a combined value exceeding £500,000. He is also committed to promoting financial wellbeing by helping individuals develop the knowledge, confidence, and habits needed to make informed financial decisions and build long-term financial resilience.