General Conference

Mihail Velikov (Smeal College of Business at Penn State University) is an associate professor of finance at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. His research in empirical asset pricing focuses on stock market anomalies, transaction costs, and investment strategies with direct applications to asset and wealth management. His work has been published in leading finance journals including the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Financial Studies. Velikov's expertise in optimizing investment strategies and analyzing market inefficiencies has made him a sought-after speaker at asset and wealth management forums and investment institutions. His research on cost-mitigation techniques and performance evaluation has earned recognition through awards including the William F. Sharpe Award and the Graham and Dodd Scroll Prize. His current research explores how AI and machine learning can enhance asset and wealth management practices. 

Beyond his research contributions, Mihail Velikov has actively supported PhD education by creating freely accessible GitHub repositories that provide open-source toolkits and teaching materials for empirical asset pricing and anomaly research.

Prior to joining Penn State, he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, where he co-led a DFAST supervisory modeling team responsible for stress testing banks' securities- and loan-portfolios. He holds bachelor's degrees in mathematics and finance from Ramapo College, and an MSBA in applied economics and a doctorate in finance from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.