Leadership Dialogue Series with Professor Robert C. Merton

The Leadership Dialogue Series (LDS) is a platform for senior industry figures share their perspectives and experiences with students as part of their holistic learning experience. For this edition, we invited Nobel laureate Professor Robert C. Merton, a Distinguished Professor of Finance at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.

At this session, he discussed topics on the impact technology and financial innovation have on the economy. According to him, while a well-functioning financial system is essential to achieve sustainable economic growth and development, innovation is key to foster growth and improvements in the financial system.

Prof Merton also examined case studies on financial innovation, and assessed the growth opportunities from global ageing and longer-life demographics.

His advice to the School’s faculty and students is to have an understanding of finance science, advances in technology and economic needs, to drive financial innovation. He explained that change is inevitable while technology is accelerating, hence what we do with our skills will make all the difference in society.