Barbara Sennholz-Weinhardt
Research Student
- Name: Barbara Sennholz-Weinhardt
- Fax: 020 7679 4969
- Email: b.sennholz@ucl.ac.uk
Dissertation
An empirical investigation into the negotiation of roles in UK hedge fund regulation
My research investigates the roles of both hedge funds and their various regulators in their day-to-day interactions. Dominant roles encompass a particular understanding of one’s own interests and appropriate behaviour, and thus influence the strategic behaviour of both regulators and hedge funds. It is hence vital to understand the mechanisms by which roles are established and by which they influence regulation and decision-making in the industry. This is of wider importance for European regulation and financial markets in general because 80 to 90 percent of hedge fund assets in Europe are managed out of the UK, and hedge funds are responsible for up to half of trading volumes in important financial markets.
Practitioners in the industry and the Financial Services Authority have reflected on the influence of cultural factors such as the dominant "regulatory philosophy" or the importance of trust and confidence in the regulatory relationship. It is hence useful and necessary to develop an empirically grounded, well-specified theoretical framework to allow for a systematic evaluation of reform proposals regarding the regulatory philosophy and other cultural aspects of regulation. Nevertheless, the academic literature on hedge funds has focussed on business-related issues and technical aspects, ignoring the importance of cultural and social dynamics in regulatory interaction.
Personal profile
Barbara has worked as a research assistant and consultant for The Bretton Woods Project and the new economics foundation. She holds a BA in International Relations from Technical University of Dresden and an MSc in International Public Policy from UCL.
General Research Interests
- Philosophy of science and quantitative and qualitative research methods
- International Political Economy
- International Financial Governance
