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Alexander Braun

Alexander Braun

Alexander Braun

Prof. Dr.

Associate Professor and Director I.VW

I.VW-HSG
Büro 53-006
Tannenstrasse 19
9000 St. Gallen
Main Focuses

Natural Catastrophe Risk

Insurance-Linked Securities

Climate Risk

Sustainable Insurance

Digital Insurance Transformation

InsurTech

Further fields of research

Asset Pricing

Blockchain Economics

Asset Management

Insurance Economics

Education
  • 2000: Abitur at Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium, Tuttlingen, Germany
  • 2001-2003: Undergrad. Studies, University of Mannheim, Germany 
  • 2004: Study Abroad Program, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 
  • 2003-2007: Studies in Business Administration (Dipl.-Kfm.), University of Mannheim, Germany (Majors: Banking & Finance, International Management, Marketing; Thesis: Regulatory Capital Arbitrage Under Basel II, supervision by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bühler)
  • 2010: ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Research Methods, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA (Advanced Regression, Time Series Analysis)
  • 2009-2011: PhD in Finance, University of St. Gallen (Thesis: Essays on Insurance-Linked Capital Market Instruments, Solvency Measurement, and Insurance Pricing, supervision by Prof. Dr. Hato Schmeiser and Prof. Dr. Manuel Ammann)
  • 2012: Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis, University of Essex, Colchester, UK (Panel Data Analysis, Logit and Probit Models)
  • 2013: Summer School in Empirical Research Methods (SSERM), University of St. Gallen (Bayesian Estimation and Inference)
  • 2011-2016: Habilitation at the University of St. Gallen (Thesis: Essays on Insurance-Linked Securities, Financial Regulation and Consumer Preferences)
  • 2016: Venia Legendi in Business Administration (with special emphasis on Risk Management) 
Professional Career
  • 2001: Accounting, Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG, Tuttlingen
  • 2003: Management Accounting, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
  • 2005: Strategic Marketing, SAP Deutschland AG & Co. KG, Walldorf
  • 2006: Global Markets, Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt am Main
  • 2007-2008: Senior Analyst Capital Markets, Lehman Brothers, London, UK
  • 2009-2011: Research Associate, Institute of Insurance Economics, University of St. Gallen   
  • 2011-2013: Project Leader, Institute of Insurance Economics, University of St. Gallen   
  • 2013-2017: Assistant Professor of Risk Management, University of St. Gallen
  • 2015-2021: Vice Director, Institute of Insurance Economics, University of St. Gallen       
  • 2017-2021: Affiliated Professor of Risk Management, University of St. Gallen 
  • 2019: Visiting Scholar, Temple University, Fox School of Business, Philadelphia, USA
  • 2019: Visiting Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Philadelphia, USA  
  • 2019-2022: Affiliated Researcher, Wharton Risk Center, University of Pennsylvania
  • Since 02/2021: Associate Professor of Insurance and Capital Markets, University of St. Gallen   
  • Since 02/2021: Director, Institute of Insurance Economics, University of St. Gallen   
Teaching Activities
  • Bachelor's and Master's Theses 
  • Risk Management (MBF, MAccFin)
  • Insurance-Linked Securities (MBF)
  • Reinsurance (Executive Education)
  • Insurance-Linked Securities Workshop (Executive Education) 
  • Asset Management (Executive Education)
  • InsuranceTech Workshop (Executive Education)
  • Current Topics in Nonlife Insurance (Executive Education)
  • Current Topics in Life Insurance (Executive Education)
  • Changing Customer Behavior (Executive Education)
  • Introduction to Finance (Executive Education) 
Projects
  • 2009: An International Comparison of Selected Supervisory Systems for Pension Funds
  • 2010: Regulation in the Financial Services Industry After the Crisis
  • 2011: Private Equity Investments under Solvency II and the Swiss Solvency Test
  • 2011: Cat Bond Investments of European Insurance Companies 
  • 2012: Catastrophe Bonds, Solvency, and the Asset Management of Insurance Companies
  • 2012: Implicit Constraints, Incentives, and Systemic Risk Imposed by New Insurance Regulation
  • 2013: Consumer Preferences for Term Life Insurance
  • 2014: Performance Measurement of European Life Insurance Companies 
  • 2014: Structured Products and Guarantees Under the Swiss Solvency Test
  • 2015: New Insights on ILS, Risk-Adjusted Performance Measurement and Behavioral Insurance
  • 2015: Utility-Maximizing Interest Rate Guarantee Levels in Participating Life Insurance
  • 2015: ART and Insurance-Linked Securities: Trends, Challenges and New Market Opportunities 
  • 2017: The Current InsurTech Landscape: Business Models and Disruptive Potential
  • 2017: Assekuranz 2025: Quo Vadis 
  • 2018: Handbook of Political Risk Insurance
  • 2018: Understanding Valuation and Risk Premiums in the Markets for Insurance-Linked Securities
  • 2019: Run-Off in the Life Insurance Industry 
  • 2019: Multihanded Organizations in the Insurance Industry  
Affiliations
  • American Risk & Insurance Association (ARIA)
  • Western Risk and Insurance Association (WRIA)
  • European Group of Risk and Insurance Economists (EGRIE)
  • Deutscher Verein für Versicherungswissenschaft (DVfVW) 
Awards
  • Certificate of Outstanding Achievement, Monash University, 2004
  • Ph.D. Predicate with the Highest Distinction, University of St. Gallen (HSG), 2011
  • Dr. Hans Kessler Best Paper Award, Institute of Insurance Economics (I.VW-HSG), 2011 
  • Dr. Hans Kessler Best Paper Award, Institute of Insurance Economics (I.VW-HSG), 2012 
     
  • Harold D. Skipper Best Paper Award, Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association (APRIA), 2013 
  • Les B. Strickler Innovation in Instruction Award, American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA), 2014 
  • Journal of Insurance Issues Best Paper Award, JII/Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation (CSIR), 2014  
     
  • Runner Up SCOR Young Economist Best Paper Award, European Group of Insurance Economists (EGRIE), 2016
  • Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) Best Paper Award, American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA), 2017
  • FT50 Publication Success Fee, University of St. Gallen (HSG), 2019  
  • Shin Research Excellence Award, Geneva Association/International Insurance Society (IIS), 2019
  • LIFE Climate Foundation Sustainable Finance Impact Award, LIFE Climate Foundation Liechtenstein, 2019
  • Certificate of Achievement (Top Downloaded Article), Journal of Risk and Insurance, 2019
  • Best Paper Award International FinTech, InsurTech & Blockchain Forum, University of Zurich, 2019 
  • Top 10 HSG Publications & Researchers of the Year on the Platform Alexandria, 2019 
  • HSG Impact Award, University of St. Gallen, 2020 
Talks
  • 05/2010: 9th GOR Workshop "Financial Markets and Institutions", St. Gallen
  • 12/2010: Research Seminar Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
  • 06/2011: 20th International AFIR Colloquium, Madrid, Spain
  • 09/2011: 10th Swiss Re Private Equity Forum, Rüschlikon
  • 01/2012: 46th WRIA Annual Meeting, Kailua-Kona, USA
  • 03/2012: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Hannover, Germany
  • 03/2012: 15th SGF Conference, Zurich
  • 04/2012: 5th MAF Conference, Venice, Italy
  • 01/2013: 47th WRIA Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, USA
  • 03/2013: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Berlin, Germany
  • 04/2013: 16th SGF Conference, Zurich
  • 07/2013: 17th APRIA Conference, New York, USA
  • 08/2013: Annual Meeting of ARIA, Washington D.C., USA
  • 09/2013: 40th EGRIE Seminar, Paris, France
  • 10/2013: 5th RISK Workshop, San Agustín, Spain
  • 01/2014: 48th WRIA Annual Meeting, Napa, USA
  • 01/2014: I.VW Future Talk on Insurance-Linked Securities, Rüschlikon
  • 03/2014: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Stuttgart, Germany
  • 06/2014: 5th Anniversary Symposium of ELSA, London, UK
  • 07/2014: 18th APRIA Conference, Moscow, Russia
  • 08/2014: Annual Meeting of ARIA, Seattle, USA
  • 09/2014: 41st EGRIE Seminar, St. Gallen
  • 09/2014: BVZL/ELSA International Life Settlement Conference, Munich, Germany
  • 10/2014: CSIR Research Seminar, New York, USA
  • 12/2014: 21st Annual Meeting of DGF, Karlsruhe, Germany
  • 01/2015: AA-Partners Life Settlements Roundtable, Zurich
  • 02/2015: ILS Seminar, Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein, Vaduz
  • 03/2015: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Berlin, Germany 
  • 04/2015: ELSA Spring Symposium, London, UK
  • 05/2015: I.VW Future Talk on Insurance Pricing, Basel 
  • 06/2015: Research Seminar University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
  • 06/2015: Standard Life Campus Days 2015: The Way Forward, Munich, Germany
  • 08/2015: World Risk and Insurance Economics Congress (WRIEC), Munich, Germany
  • 10/2015: ELSA/BVZL Investor Summit, London, UK
  • 01/2016: 50th WRIA Annual Meeting, Wailea, USA 
  • 01/2016: AA-Partners Life Settlements Roundtable, Zurich 
  • 03/2016: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Vienna, Austria
  • 04/2016: 19th SGF Conference, Zurich
  • 06/2016: Funk RMCE Arbeitskreis Automobilzulieferer, Friedrichshafen, Germany
  • 08/2016: Annual Meeting of ARIA, Boston, USA  
  • 09/2016: HSG Freshers' Week, St. Gallen, Switzerland
  • 09/2016: 43rd EGRIE Seminar, Limassol, Cyprus 
  • 09/2016: BVZL/ELSA International Life Settlement Conference, Munich, Germany 
  • 10/2016: Swiss Re Asia Executive Dialogue, Zurich
  • 10/2016: SVV Tag der Versicherungswirtschaft (Swiss Insurance Association), Zurich
  • 01/2017: Life Settlements Seminar, Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein, Vaduz  
  • 01/2017: AA-Partners Life Settlements Roundtable, Zurich
  • 03/2017: DVfVW Annual Meeting, Berlin, Germany
  • 03/2017: London School of Economics (LSE) Political Risk Symposium, London, UK  
  • 03/2017: START Summit 2017, St. Gallen
  • 03/2017: Hamburger Risikomanagement-Forum, Hamburg, Germany
  • 05/2017: I.VW Future Talk on InsurTech, Rüschlikon
  • 06/2017: Research Seminar University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany 
  • 07/2017: Swiss Re Africa Executive Dialogue
  • 08/2017: Annual Meeting of ARIA, Toronto, Canada 
  • 09/2017: HSG Freshers' Week, St. Gallen, Switzerland
  • 09/2017: Swiss Re Asia Executive Dialogue, Rüschlikon
  • 10/2017: Innovation Award of the Swiss Insurance Industry
  • 11/2017: Bernstein Research Investor Call
  • 03/2018: START Summit 2018, St. Gallen
  • 06/2018: I.VW Future Talk on InsurTech, Schlieren
  • 07/2018: Swiss Re Africa Executive Dialogue,
  • 08/2018: Annual Meeting of ARIA, Chicago, USA
  • 09/2018: Swiss Re Asia Executive Dialogue, Rüschlikon 
  • 10/2018: International FinTech, InsurTech & Blockchain Forum 
  • 11/2018: Innovation Award of the Swiss Insurance Industry
  • 11/2018: I.VW Future Talk on Blockchain, Zug
  • 02/2019: ASTIN Workshop on Cyber Risk, Zurich
  • 03/2019: START Summit 2019, St. Gallen
  • 03/2019: I.VW Future Value Partner and Alumni Meeting, Zurich
  • 05/2019: Research Seminar University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 05/2019: HSG Robotic Law Day, St. Gallen
  • 05/2019: HSG Spotlight Webinar Series, St. Gallen
  • 05/2019: HSG Alumni Blockchain Club Event, Zurich
  • 06/2019: HSG Diploma Program Insurance Management, St. Gallen
  • 06/2019: RISK and the Insurance Business in History, Seville, Spain
  • 06/2019: I.VW Future Talk on Artificial Intelligence, Zurich
  • 07/2019: Swiss Re P&C Executive Dialogue
  • 08/2019: Annual Meeting of ARIA, San Francisco, USA
  • 09/2019: Robert A. Hedges Seminar Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
  • 10/2019: Brownbag Seminar Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
  • 10/2019: Research Seminar Wharton Risk Center, Philadelphia, USA
  • 11/2019: Research Seminar University of Georgia, Athens, USA 
  • 12/2019: The Role of Insurance in Coastal Adaptation, The Wharton School, Philadelphia, USA
  • 12/2019: Cyber Risk Workshop Penn Law, Philadelphia, USA 
Research Cooperation
Additional Information

Referee Activities:

  • American Risk & Insurance Association (ARIA) 
  • Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance (APJRI)  
  • ASTIN Bulletin - The Journal of the International Actuarial Association 
  • AXA Research Fund 
  • European Actuarial Journal (EUAJ) 
  • European Journal of Finance (EJF)
  • European Journal of Operational Research (EJOR)
  • Finance Research Letters (FRL) 
  • Financial Innovation (FINI) 
  • Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice (GPP) 
  • Geneva Risk and Insurance Review (GRIR) 
  • German Insurance Science Association (DVfVW) 
  • IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics
  • Insurance: Mathematics and Economics (IME) 
  • International Journal of Finance and Economics (IJFE)
  • International Journal of Health Policy and Management (IJHPM)
  • International Journal of Services and Operations Management (IJSOM)
  • International Review of Economics and Finance (IREF) 
  • Journal of Banking and Finance (JBF) 
  • Journal of Business Economics (JBEC) 
  • Journal of Computational Science (JOCS)
  • Journal of Derivatives (JoD)
  • Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (JEBO) 
  • Journal of Insurance Regulation (JIR)  
  • Journal of Marketing Management (JMM)
  • Journal of Mathematical Finance (JMF)  
  • Journal of Money, Credit and Banking (JMCB)
  • Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity (JOITMC) 
  • Journal of Risk (JOR) 
  • Journal of Risk and Financial Management (JRFM) 
  • Journal of Risk and Insurance (JRI) 
  • Journal of Risk Finance (JRF)
  • Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment (JSFI)   
  • Management Science (MS) 
  • North American Actuarial Journal (NAAJ)
  • Risk Management and Insurance Review (RMIR) 
  • Risks - An Open-Access Journal from MDPI
  • Scandinavian Actuarial Journal (SACT)  
  • Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift für betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung (zfbf)
  • Sustainability - An Open-Access Journal from MDPI 
  • Swiss Society for Financial Market Research (SGF)
  • Yearbook on International Investment Law and Policy
  • Zeitschrift für die gesamte Versicherungswissenschaft (ZVersWiss)  

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Third Party Funding:

  • 2020-2022: German Insurance Science Association (DVfVW) - Grant for the research project,“COVID-19 Losses in the Insurance Industry and Beyond” (with M. Eling)  
  • 2020: Innosuisse - Grant #40370.1 INNO-ICT for the applied research project "Automation of Cyber Risk Insurance Claims Payments" (with Martin Eling) 
  • 2018-2021: Swiss National Science Foundation - Grant #179003 for the fundamental research project "Understanding Valuation and Risk Premiums in the Markets for Insurance-Linked Securities 
  • 2018: Dr.-Hans-Kessler Fund (St. Gallen) - Grant for the applied research project "Run-Off in der Lebensversicherung: Eine Einführung" (with Jovan Bogdanovic)
  • 2016-2017: Funk Foundation (Hamburg) - Grant for the applied research project "Handbook of Political Risk Insurance" (with Marius Fischer)
  • 2015-2016: HSG Research Fund - Postdoctoral Grant for the fundamental research project "Insurance-Linked Securities, Risk-Adjusted Performance Measurement, and Behavioral Insurance"
  • 2015: Dr.-Hans-Kessler Fund (St. Gallen)- Grant for the fundamental research project: "Consumption-Based Asset Pricing in Insurance Markets: Yet Another Puzzle?" (with Daliana Luca and Hato Schmeiser)
  • 2012-2014: Swiss National Science Foundation - Grant #144549 for the fundamental research project "Implicit Constraints, Incentives, and Systemic Risk Imposed by New Standards for Insurance Regulation" (with Martin Eling, Nadine Gatzert and Hato Schmeiser)
  • 2012-2013: HSG Research Fund - Postdoctoral Grant for the fundamental research project "Catastrophe Bonds, Solvency Regulation, and the Asset Management of Insurance Companies"
  • 2010-2012: Swiss National Science Foundation - Grant #129901 for the fundamental research project "Regulation in the Financial Services Industry After the Crisis" (with Martin Eling, Przemyslaw Rymaszewski and Hato Schmeiser)
  • 2010: Dr.-Hans-Kessler Fund (St. Gallen) - Grant for the fundamental research project: "Stock vs. Mutual Insurers: Who Should and Who Does Charge More?" (with Przemyslaw Rymaszewski and Hato Schmeiser)
  • 2010: Swiss National Fund Science Foundation - Academic Exchange Grant for the ICPSR Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research at the University of Michigan
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