Singapore, 6 February 2015…The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have jointly appointed Professor Ronald Masulis, Scientia Professor of Finance and the Macquarie Group Chair of Financial Services at the Australian School of Business, University of New South Wales, as the MAS Term Professor in Economics and Finance from 9 to 13 February 2015. Prof Masulis will be hosted by NUS Business School during the term of the Professorship. 

2  Prof Masulis is an internationally recognised authority in the areas of empirical corporate finance and corporate governance.  His expertise spans across various aspects of finance, including investment banking, market microstructure, international finance, private equity, law and economics, mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, and ownership structure. His studies have been published in several top journals, including the Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Accounting and Economics and Journal of Law and Economics.  Over the course of his career, Professor Masulis has also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the American Finance Association, the Western Finance Association and the Financial Management Association. 

3  "We are honoured to welcome Professor Masulis to NUS Business School. Professor Masulis is a world renowned financial economist who has made fundamental contributions in the area of corporate finance and corporate governance. His current research on improving board effectiveness is particularly relevant in this region, where boards are facing increasing pressures, challenges and risks. I am confident we will learn much from him during our discussions," said Professor Bernard Yeung, Dean and Stephen Riady Distinguished Professor at NUS Business School.

4  Mr Edward Robinson, Assistant Managing Director (Economic Policy) and Chief Economist at MAS, said: “Professor Masulis is a highly regarded, prolific academic who has a well-established reputation as one of the world’s leading researchers in corporate governance.  His work is of direct relevance to the MAS and the financial industry as it provides valuable insights into the various aspects of corporate governance, and how they relate to firms’ performance indicators. It is a great opportunity and a privilege to engage such a distinguished expert in this field and we look forward to welcoming him to MAS.”

5  Professor Masulis will deliver a public lecture at NUS Business School on 12 February 2015 titled, “New findings on what makes for effective boards of directors”. He will also meet with faculty members, advise students on their research, as well as share his latest research findings at seminars and workshops. At the MAS, he will have discussions with senior policymakers, economists and analysts, on a range of corporate governance and related issues.  

6  First established in 2009, the MAS Term Professorship in Economics and Finance is awarded to distinguished scholars, who are appointed as Visiting Professors at both the NUS Business School and the Department of Economics in the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It aims to strengthen Singapore’s financial and economics research infrastructure and contribute to a vibrant research community and culture at local universities.

7  The MAS Term Professorship in Economics and Finance has been awarded to eight distinguished scholars over the last six years.

About National University of Singapore (NUS)
A leading global university centred in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, which offers a global approach to education and research, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise.

NUS has 16 faculties and schools across three campuses. Its transformative education includes a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment. Over 37,000 students from 100 countries enrich the community with their diverse social and cultural perspectives.
 
NUS has three Research Centres of Excellence (RCE) and 26 university-level research institutes and centres. It is also a partner in Singapore’s fifth RCE. NUS shares a close affiliation with 16 national-level research institutes and centres. Research activities are strategic and robust, and NUS is well-known for its research strengths in engineering, life sciences and biomedicine, social sciences and natural sciences. It also strives to create a supportive and innovative environment to promote creative enterprise within its community.  
 
For more information, please visit www.nus.edu.sg

About NUS Business School
The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School is known for providing management thought leadership from an Asian perspective, enabling its students and corporate partners to leverage global knowledge and Asian insights.

The school has consistently received top rankings in the Asia-Pacific region by independent publications and agencies, such as The Financial Times, Economist Intelligence Unit, and QS Top MBA, in recognition of the quality of its programmes, faculty research and graduates. In the Financial Times Global Rankings, the NUS MBA is ranked 31st, while the NUS-UCLA Executive MBA and Asia-Pacific Executive MBA are ranked 4th and 18th respectively.

In the biannual Forbes rankings for two-year MBA programmes, NUS Business School was ranked top in Singapore and Asia in 2013, and second among business schools outside the United States. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has also ranked the school 12th in the world for accounting and finance.

The school is accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), endorsements that the school has met the highest standards for business education. The school is also a member of the GMAC Council, Executive MBA Council, Partnership in Management (PIM) and CEMS (Community of European Management Schools).

For more information, please visit bschool.nus.edu.sg, or go to the Think Business portal which showcases the School’s research (thinkbusiness.nus.edu).

About Monetary Authority of Singapore
As Singapore's central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) promotes sustained, non-inflationary economic growth through appropriate monetary policy formulation and close macroeconomic surveillance of emerging trends and potential vulnerabilities. It manages Singapore's exchange rate, foreign reserves and liquidity in the banking sector. MAS is also an integrated supervisor overseeing all financial institutions in Singapore -- banks, insurers, capital market intermediaries, financial advisors, and the stock exchange. Being an integrated supervisor allows the MAS to adopt a consistent and progressive regulatory and supervisory approach and framework, thereby ensuring a level playing field across all market segments, sectors and activities. With its mandate to foster a sound and progressive financial services sector in Singapore, MAS also helps shape Singapore's financial industry by promoting a strong corporate governance framework and close adherence to international accounting standards. In addition, it spearheads retail investor education. MAS ensures that Singapore's financial industry remains vibrant, dynamic and competitive by working closely with other government agencies and financial institutions to develop and promote Singapore as a regional and international financial centre. For more information, please visit www.mas.gov.sg.