How can finance professionals live up to their humanistic values while working in what is often a deeply conflicted industry? A scholar of ethics and an investment professional, JC de Swaan will discuss his attempt at defining virtue in finance based on his research of ethical role models in the industry. Sharing stories of inspiring individuals in the field, he will lay out a framework for pursuing a viable career in finance while contributing to society and upholding one’s integrity. In the process, he will highlight some of the unique challenges finance professionals face, from structural changes in the industry to cognitive biases.
JC de Swaan is a lecturer in economics at Princeton University and a partner at Cornwall Capital, an investment fund based in New York. He also teaches at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Seeking Virtue in Finance: Contributing to Society in a Conflicted Industry (Cambridge University Press, 2021). He received his B.A. from Yale University, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School.