Esed Selmani Herab (He, Him)

I joined the University of Exeter Business School (UEBS) as an MRe-PhD student after receiving the UEBS scholarship in 2021. Previously, I completed an MSc in Finance at the University of Tabriz. 

My academic interests cover corporate governance, corporate finance, third-sector organisations (i.e., NGOs, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-profits/charities), government contracting, and corporate social responsibility. 

My research topics include the determinants and consequences of advocacy campaigns and activism by NGOs or CSOs, corporate ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues, corporate greenwashing, natural degradation and biodiversity loss, corporate  emissions, executive compensation and turnover, shareholder activism, corporate reporting, and corporate political connections.

I am particularly interested in studying the implications of corporate-stakeholder interactions for corporate governance outcomes, ESG reporting, ESG rating, ESG performance, and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

I examine the governance outcomes induced by NGO campaigns targeting firms. Using a unique dataset on NGO activism that raises ESG issues, I establish an association between these campaigns and several governance outcomes, including forced CEO turnover, executive pay, and the implementation of ESG-linked compensation. I also find that such activism garners shareholder support, as evidenced by a higher number of submitted shareholder resolutions and a higher percentage of dissent votes cast against management-sponsored proposals at AGMs.

Building on these findings, in a subsequent paper, I explicitly test whether corporations targeted by NGOs and CSOs engage in merely symbolic actions or take genuine steps to address stakeholder concerns reflected in these campaigns. In other words, I investigate whether businesses engage in only superficial CSR activities — e.g., simply improving environmental disclosures — or whether they also internalise environmental impact and take remedial action, such as curbing GHG emissions. 

I would be happy to further discuss my research or any other research project for potential collaboration.