Dr Abraham Adu

Biography

Dr Abraham Adu is a distinguished finance expert with extensive experience in both industry and academia. With over a decade of dedication to enhancing academic standards and assurance of learning across UK universities, he has made a significant impact on finance education and professional development.

As a former Head of Finance Department, Dr Adu provided strategic leadership in curriculum design, accreditation, and faculty development, ensuring the highest standards of teaching and research. His expertise has been pivotal in shaping finance programs that align with industry demands and global best practices.

Before joining the University of Aberdeen, Abraham was a Lecturer in Finance and Economics at the University of Hull, Faculty of Business, Law, and Politics. Abraham completed his Ph.D. and a Master of Research in Economics at the University of Hull; he also holds an MSc in Financial Management from the same university. Additionally, he holds a BA in Publishing Administration from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

In recognition of his deep academic and professional contributions, Dr Adu was appointed Deputy Chair of the Subject Benchmark Statements for Finance (2024/25), where he played a key role in defining national standards for finance education in the UK. His leadership in this capacity has helped shape the future of finance curricula, ensuring relevance, innovation, and academic rigour.

Beyond academia, Dr Adu has actively engaged with the finance industry, consulting on corporate finance, risk management, and financial analytics with a Certified Quantitative Risk Management focused on Risk Management, Real Options Analysis, Econometrics Analysis, Forecasting & Monte Carlo. His collaborations with financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and professional organizations have bridged the gap between theoretical finance and real-world application, equipping students with critical industry skills.

Research Overview

Banking, Environmental, Social and Governance, Financial Sector Reforms, and Inter-disciplinary Research

Current Research

• Peer effects and bank risk-taking with D. Gyimah
• Can it be that companies with political connections tend to lead higher Gender Pay Gap percentage? with J. Amankwah-Amoah
• Fines or awards? Which is a better predictor of environmental performance with J. Amankwah-Amoah

Past Research

• Adu, A. and Bhattarai, K., 2022. Impact of Financial Liberalization on Concentration in the Ghanaian Banking System: A Panzar-Rosse Analysis.  Journal of Development Economics and Finance, vol. 3 (2), pp. 252-273

Knowledge Exchange

• In contributing to professional practice in the UK Finance industry, I work as a panel judge on the Annual Index Awards in selecting the best financial market indices across all asset classes from various financial institutions (e.g., banks, exchanges, investment managers and vendors). 

Funding and Grants

• Full Doctoral Scholarship, University of Hull            
• Otumfuo Education Grant, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology                               
• Dean’s List-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology                          

Teaching Responsibilities

• Financial Analysis and Markets
• Studies in Finance

Previously taught courses 

• Derivatives and Treasury Management 
• Financial Analysis
• Business Finance Finance 
• International & EU Economics 

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

• Personal Tutor
• External Examiner-University of East London 
• Consultant- AB & Partners Asset Management