Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise

Fellows

The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise Research Fellowship is an opportunity for advanced doctoral students, post docs and early career faculty researching the topics of entrepreneurship, economic development, or global competitiveness.

Research Fellows

The Kenan Institute draws on the expertise and insights of its Research Fellows. Fellows represent an intellectually diverse group of business and policy scholars that advise the Institute’s core initiatives and affiliated centers.

Sekou Bermiss

Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and 2025 Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow

Greg Brown

Founder and Research Director, Institute for Private Capital; Van and Kay Weatherspoon Distinguished Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School; Faculty Director, Luther Hodges Scholars

Eric Ghysels

Edward Bernstein Distinguished Professor of Economics and Professor of Finance, Faculty Director of Rethinc. Labs

Jim Johnson

William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center

Christian Lundblad

Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research & Richard “Dick” Levin Distinguished Professor of Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Jayashankar M. Swaminathan

GlaxoSmithKline Distinguished Professor of Operations, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and 2024 Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow

Distinguished Fellows

The Kenan Institute’s Distinguished Fellows comprise an exemplary set of global scholars committed to leveraging their individual expertise, thought leadership, research and networks to further the institute’s efforts to examine – and drive solutions to – the most complex and timely issues facing business and the economy today. Appointed on an annual basis, the 2026 Distinguished Fellows work to support the Kenan Institute’s grand challenge initiative.

Nicholas Bloom

William D. Eberle Professor in Economics and Academic Council faculty, Stanford, and 2026 Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow

Michael Christian

Professor of Organizational Behavior, Bell Distinguished Scholar and Area Chair of Organizational Behavior, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and 2026 Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow

Daniel Zhao

Chief Economist, Glassdoor, and 2026 Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow

Leadership Fellows

Connections between leaders of in the private sector, policy makers, and the academy are central to the mission of the Institute. Kenan Institute Fellows play an instrumental role in advancing our mission by advising initiatives and affiliated centers on current developments in business and policy as well as facilitating outreach to key constituents.