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Kumar Venkataraman

Dallas (SMU) – SMU Cox School of Business is pleased to announce that Kumar Venkataraman, James M. Collins Chair in Finance at the Cox School, has been appointed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to serve on its newly formed Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee. The committee, with an initial focus on the corporate bond and municipal securities markets, will provide advice to the Commission on the efficiency and resiliency of these markets and identify opportunities for regulatory improvements. 

“Fixed income markets are larger in size and scope than stock markets,” said Venkataraman. “Yet, for a variety of reasons, trading in bonds continues to be dominated by old methods that do not exploit technology. I am honored to be part of a working group that plans to review bond market structure, and suggest ways to improve the market for bond investors.” 

The SEC’s Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee consists of a diverse group of 23 outside experts, including individuals representing the views of retail and institutional investors, small and large issuers, trading venues, dealers, self-regulatory organizations and more. Venkataraman is one of only two academics named to the committee. 

“We’re proud of our colleague for achieving this prestigious honor,” said Matthew B. Myers, dean of SMU Cox. “Kumar’s appointment to the SEC’s Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee shows the kind of far-reaching impact his research has, and it exemplifies the kind of high quality research that is a hallmark of the Cox School.”

Venkataraman specializes in the area of market microstructure and writes about the functioning of equity, fixed-income and energy markets. He has published research on the impact of transparency and banking regulation on the bond market. In 2011, he was named by Poets & Quants as “The Best 40 B-School Professors under the Age of 40”. He holds an undergraduate degree from BITS-Pilani (India) and a PhD in finance from Arizona State University. He was the Chairman of the Finance Department between 2012 and 2015

In addition to his research, Venkataraman teaches in the area of investments. SMU and Cox have honored him with awards for both teaching and research. Venkataraman serves on the Editorial Board of several journals, including Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and Journal of Financial Markets. 

The SEC’s Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee will begin an initial two-year term when the committee is formally established on November 15. According to SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, the committee will help the Commission “ensure that our regulatory approach to fixed income markets meets the needs of retail investors, as well as companies and state and local governments.” Financial observers note that fixed income markets have changed and continue to evolve. Additional SEC details about the committee are expected to be released in the near future.  

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About SMU Cox

The SMU Cox School of Business (smu.edu/cox), was originally established in 1920 on the campus of 91��Ƭ�S�ϼ� in Dallas, Texas, and was named in honor of benefactor Edwin L. Cox in 1978. SMU Cox is a nationally and internationally ranked business school with undergraduate (BBA) majors in accounting, finance, financial consulting, general business, management, marketing, real estate finance and concentrations in energy management, entrepreneurship, real estate finance and risk management and insurance. The Cox School offers four programs including the Executive MBA (EMBA) and Full-Time MBA, Fast Track MBA, and Professional MBA (PMBA), with concentrations in accounting, finance, general business, information technology and operations management, management, marketing, real estate and strategy and entrepreneurship. The school also offers the JD/MBA with Dedman School of Law; MA/MBA with Meadows School of the Arts; in Accounting, Business Analytics (Full and Part-Time), Finance, and Management; Sport Management and Health Promotion Management with Simmons School of Education and Human Development; and Engineering/MBA and MS in Engineering Entrepreneurship with the Lyle School of Engineering. For professionals not seeking a degree, and multiple cover a broad range of disciplines. The Cox School of Business maintains an active alumni network globally.