Welcome, Marten Laudi
KLU welcomes Marten Laudi, a young professor who is rethinking finance through an interdisciplinary, behaviorally grounded approach with a strong focus on social impact. Raised in Bremen, his path, which began with a degree in business administration in Maastricht, led him early on into the world of financial markets: and from there, naturally, into research. Even at a young age, he made a name for himself at the intersection of finance, sustainability, and psychology. In this interview, he discusses why traditional financial models often fall short, how podcasts influence investment decisions, and what he hopes to impart to students at KLU.
You conduct research and teach at the intersection of finance, sustainability, and psychology. How do these fields fit together?
Many patterns we observe in financial markets have to do with human behavior under uncertainty. In reality, financial decisions often deviate from what classical models predict. Insights from psychology help us understand why that is. Sustainability is a good example: aspects such as the environmental or social impact of investments don’t actually play a role in traditional models, but they are still important to many investors.
I combine these perspectives by examining how financial decisions are actually made and what effects this has on markets and society.
What have you been working on most recently, and who stands to gain from these new insights?
Together with my co-author, I investigated how investment podcasts influence investor behavior. We show that podcast content measurably changes investment behavior and leads to more trading and greater price volatility. At the same time, we find no evidence that investors achieve better results as a result.
This is relevant because it shows that more and more people are making their financial decisions based on such content. However, our findings also suggest that more information does not automatically lead to better decisions.
What do you hope to achieve in research and teaching at KLU?
I would like to integrate my research in finance into an interdisciplinary framework at KLU and build on the university’s existing strengths, particularly in the areas of sustainability and the understanding of decision-making processes. I am interested in how financial decisions are made and what effects they have on markets and societal developments. The goal is to conduct research that generates scientifically relevant insights while also having concrete relevance for businesses and society.
In teaching, I focus on interactive, problem-oriented formats that encourage students to think critically and data-driven.
And what else? What would students and colleagues tell us about you?
Hopefully, they would say that I’m very approachable, structure content clearly, and create an open, supportive work and learning environment.
And perhaps also that I like to lead discussions in the spirit of “Yes, and”—that is, taking up ideas, building on them, and developing them together, rather than rushing to judge or dismiss them.
