Klaas Baks

Biography

Klaas P. Baks PhD is a recognized thought-leader in alternative investments and entrepreneurial finance. Dr. Baks is the Co-Founder and Director of the Emory Center for Alternative Investments. Dr. Baks has been a Finance Professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School since 2002.

Dr. Baks’s research and teaching focuses on issues in alternative investments, entrepreneurial finance and investment management, and he has published papers in numerous academic and business journals, including the Wall Street Journal. He teaches courses in private equity, venture capital and entrepreneurial finance at Emory and has been recognized with eight awards, including Emory University''s highest award for teaching excellence, the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award, the Marc F. Adler Prize for Teaching Excellence awarded by alumni and the Donald R. Keough Award for Excellence.

Dr. Baks serves as director or advisor for over 13 companies and investment funds with over $7 billion in assets under management, including Emory Investment Management (Emory University''s endowment), JOYN (investments), Kruger Capital (private equity), Peachtree Hotel Group (real estate), Pensare Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLSU, telecom), Transcardiac Therapeutics (health care), Triton Value Partners (strategic consulting) and TWO Capital Partners (real estate). An active member of the Atlanta community, Dr. Baks serves on the board of the Michael C. Carlos Museum and the Investment Committee of the Westminster Schools Board of Trustees.

Prior to joining Emory University, Dr. Baks held positions at Fuji Bank in Tokyo, Japan, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell in Hong Kong and the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.

Dr. Baks studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (PhD in Finance), Brown University (Master’s in Economics), Groningen University (Master’s in Econometrics, cum laude) and Leiden University (Diploma in Japanese Language and Business Studies). He spent two years at Harvard University as part of his doctoral research at Wharton on the performance of actively managed mutual funds.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Dr. Baks resides with his wife and son in Atlanta, Georgia.

Areas Of Expertise

• Investment Management
• Alternative Investments
• Entrepreneurship
• Private Equity
• Venture Capital

Education

• The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania: PhD, Finance 2002
• Brown University: MA, Economics 1997
• Groningen University: MSc, Econometrics & Statistics 1995