Arhat Virdi

Arhat’s expertise cover Economics, Finance, Accounting, and Philosophy. In addition to being a Senior Fellow in Finance and Economics at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, he is also a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Oriel College, Oxford. He serves as an adjunct member of the Economics Faculty at Hong Kong University, as well as being a Research Associate at the London School of Economics (LSE). He is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. And a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Prior to returning to Oxford, Arhat was a member of the Senior Management team at the Bermuda Monetary Authority (Bermuda’s integrated regulator of Bermuda’s financial services industry), working as a Director of Policy, Research, and Risk. Previous to that, he held positions as an LSE Fellow in Economics, a Research Fellow in the Philosophy of Economics at the University of Bielefeld, and a Lecturer in Economics at City University (London).

Arhat read PPE as an undergraduate at Oxford (Double 1st), then read for a MSc in Philosophy & Economics (Distinction) at the LSE. Thereafter, despite an intention to undertake doctoral research in Economics, Arhat took a Doctorate in Philosophy at the LSE instead, with honourable mention, having been seduced into wrestling important topics in the fields of Mathematical and Philosophical Logic, as well as the Philosophy of Science.

RESEARCH

Arhat is concerned to apply the kind of analytical rigour found in philosophical analysis to social scientific research generally. His interests are centred around methodological issues within Economics, the possibility of objectivity in Financial Reporting, and the soundness or otherwise in thinking that Game Theory has real-world applications. He has lately also become preoccupied by Financial Asset Pricing. 

ENGAGEMENT 

Arhat has extensive consulting and engagement experience. Clients have included the governments of Germany and Kazakhstan, as well as the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. He was also enlisted by the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission in Bermuda to construct a macroeconomic model of the Bermudian economy to assist the Commission in its recommendations to government. Arhat is involved in the delivery of a full range of solutions to institutional and corporate clients. One of his more recent engagements concerned Liquidity Risk Management and involved developing behaviourialization models for non-maturity deposits in helping a major bank reap benefits from the design of the Basel III Liquidity Coverage Ratio requirement. He has lately become very familiar with the Chinese market and its institutions. 

TEACHING 

Arhat’s teaching is characterised by friendly discipline, good order and a deep study of the issues. He has extensive teaching experience in a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across all his areas of expertise. He was the recipient of two consecutive years’ best Economics teacher prize at the LSE. He also has a comprehensive background delivering and directing a number of Executive Education programmes.

At Oxford, Arhat is involved in teaching and examining for the following degrees programmes:

•    BA in Economics and Management
•    MBA
•    Executive MBA
•    MSc in Financial Economics
•    MSc in Law & Finance

Arhat coordinates admissions for undergraduate Economics and sits on Examination Boards. As well as Divisional Committees.