Business School student presents dissertation at the Bank of England

On 16th October, Leeds University Business School student, Byengsung Youn, presented his dissertation at the Bank of England.

Byengsung — a student from the MSc Banking and International Finance programme — was selected to participate in the Bank of England’s Research Support Programme, an initiative that provides students from UK universities with the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the UK’s central bank.

His dissertation, titled "The Impact of Lobbying by U.S. Bank Holding Companies on Firm Performance", explores how lobbying activities by U.S. Bank Holding Companies (BHCs) influence firm performance, focusing on efficiency and risk. The research revealed that agency costs typically outweigh the efficiency benefits of lobbying, offering important insights for financial regulators and shareholders about the potential risks associated with these activities.

Byengsung was jointly supervised by Dr Mahmoud Fatouh, Senior Economist at the Bank of England, and his academic supervisor, Dr Usman Gilani, Lecturer in Banking and Finance at LUBS.

Dr Danilo V. Mascia, former Programme Director of the MSc Banking & International Finance, praised the collaboration, stating:

We are delighted to have established this invaluable partnership between our MSc Programme and the Central Bank. It offers our talented students an outstanding opportunity to showcase and enhance their expertise, while working alongside policymakers to tackle critical global challenges.

This achievement highlights Leeds University Business School’s commitment to providing students with exceptional research opportunities and real-world experience at leading institutions like the Bank of England.