Nick Yavorsky interviews Mark Garmaise, Professor of Finance at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Professor Garmaise discusses his research on commercial real estate markets, entrepreneurial finance, and consumer finance. He also describes his empirical approach to the complex quantitative and qualitative issues that arise across these areas. Key topics include:

•  Commercial real estate as a setting in which to evaluate theories of finance, risk, and banking competition

• The impact of COVID-19 on entrepreneurial firms’ access to financing and credit

•  Firm decision-making in the context of financial constraints

•   Factors that affect consumer spending

In addition, Professor Garmaise addresses the importance of balancing qualitative, firm-specific context with quantitative, data-driven analyses.

Professor Garmaise is a corporate finance expert who specializes in topics related to banking, entrepreneurship, financial contracting, and real estate. He has provided expert testimony in high-profile cases involving breach of contract, valuation, and damages. His industry experience includes cryptocurrency, entertainment, financial services, investment banking, automotive, and microfinance.