Mihir Desai
Mihir Desai is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance at Harvard Business School and a Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is a recognized expert in tax policy, international finance, and corporate finance. His work has emphasized the appropriate design of tax policy in a globalized setting, the connections between corporate governance and taxation, and the internal capital markets of multinational firms. For nearly 20 years, Desai has researched and written extensively about global economies and how policymakers could make them more prosperous.
Mihir Desai Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance
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Research Associate, Public Economics and Corporate Finance Programs
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Financial Analyst
Academic History
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Professor of Law
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PhD in Political Economy
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Master of Business Administration (MBA)
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BA in Economics and History
- Professor Desai’s extensive investigation spans the general direction of the global economy, ethics in finance, and tax code simplification frameworks.
- His focus on mergers and acquisitions, both domestically and internationally, enables corporations to better understand and navigate the turbulent waters of the world economy.
- His research serves as a compass for executives, asset managers, investors, lawmakers, and laypeople looking to make sense of finance and the global economic order.
PUBLICATIONS
- Professor Desai’s academic publications have appeared in leading economics, finance, and law journals.
- His general interest publications include opinion pieces on varied topics, including tax policy and the effects of globalization on domestic welfare.
- He has been cited in major publications, including The Economist, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times.
- He has written for practitioners in the Harvard Business Review on the role of the Global CFO, on how to reform the U.S. tax system, and how changing incentive systems have contributed to the degradation of American competitiveness.
ACADEMIA
- Professor Desai has taught extensively as an award-winning teacher at HBS and at Harvard University.
- He has been active in delivering various executive education programs at HBS, including the General Managers Program (GMP), on campus and around the world.
- His many cases on international finance are collected in a casebook published by John Wiley and are taught around the world.
- He has taught seminars and classes on tax policy at Harvard Law School, NYU Law School, and Columbia Law School.
AWARDS AND HONORS
- Michael Brennan Best Paper Prize, Runner Up, Review of Financial Studies, 2009
- Pearson/Prentice Hall Prize for Best Article, Financial Management, 2008
- Jensen Prize for Best Article in Corporate Finance and Organizations, Second Place, Journal of Financial Economics, 2007
- Brattle Prize, nomination, Journal of Finance, 2005
- Barclays Global Investor Best Symposium Paper, European Finance Association, 2004
- ECGI Corporate Governance Clinical Research Paper Competition, Third Place, 2004
- Student Association Award for Teaching Excellence, 2001
- Allwyn Young Teaching Prize for Principles in Economics, Harvard University, 1996, 1998
- Dean’s Award for Excellence in Student Teaching, Harvard University, 1996
- Baker Scholar, Harvard University, 1993
- Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, Brown University, 1989
OTHERS
- Professor Desai has testified several times before the US Congress, including in a joint session of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
- He has consulted with companies and organizations on tax- and finance-related topics.
- He is now speaking to business leaders about his groundbreaking findings on tax policy, finance, productivity, and foreign investment and provides future-thinking advice for how to adjust their business strategies to the oncoming challenges of digital life.