Professor Graeme Acheson

Head Of Department

Accounting and Finance

Personal statement

Graeme joined the School as a Professor of Finance at the beginning of December 2019. He obtained a PhD in Finance from Queen’s University Belfast in 2006. He has held academic positions at Queen’s University Belfast, The University of Ulster, and more recently The University of Stirling. Graeme's research applies contemporary econometric techniques to historical settings. Much of his work examines how the evolving legal environment in nineteenth century Great Britain impacted on investor behaviour and governance structures in early British companies. Addressing topics such as firm performance and banking crisis he has examined the impact of major financial events such as the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank in 1878. His current work focuses on the evolution of corporate law, in an attempt to better understand if private contracting acted as a substitute for mandatory shareholder protection. Graeme’s research has been funded by bodies such as The Leverhulme Trust and The British Academy; and he has published in journals including The Review of Financial Studies, The Economic History Review and The Journal of Economic History.

Publications

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Publications

The incidence and persistence of partnerships in a British industrial city : Glasgow, 1861–81: Acheson Graeme, McLaughlin Eoin, Newton Gill, Perriton Linda; Economic History Review, pp. 1-28 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1111/ehr.13356
The anatomy of a bubble company : The London Assurance in 1720: Acheson Graeme, Aldous Michael, Quinn William; Economic History Review Vol 77, pp. 160-184 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1111/ehr.13256
Independent women : investing in British Railways, 1870-1922: Acheson Graeme G, Campbell Gareth, Gallagher Áine, Turner John D; Economic History Review Vol 74, pp. 471-495 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1111/ehr.12968
Share trading activity and the rise of the rentier in the UK before 1920: Acheson Graeme G, Coyle Christopher, Jordan David P, Turner John D; Business History Vol 62, pp. 982-1001 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2018.1502751
Private contracting, law and finance: Acheson Graeme G, Campbell Gareth, Turner John D; The Review of Financial Studies Vol 32, pp. 4156-4195 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhz020
Private contracting, law and finance: Acheson Graeme, Campbell Gareth, Turner John; (2019)

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Research

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Research Interests

My research applies contemporary econometric techniques to historical settings. Much of this work examines how the evolving legal environment in nineteenth century Great Britain impacted investor behaviour and governance structures in early British companies. Addressing topics such as firm performance and banking crisis, I have examined the impact of major financial events such as the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank in 1878. My current work focuses on the evolution of corporate law, in an attempt to better understand if private contracting acted as a substitute for mandatory shareholder protection.

This research has been funded by bodies such as The Leverhulme Trust and The British Academy; and I have published in journals including The Review of Financial Studies, The Economic History Review and The Journal of Economic History.