He is also a candidate fellow at Tinbergen Institute. His research interests include empirical banking, development economics, international trade, Chinese economy, law and finance. He gained his PhD in Finance at Tilburg University in June 2013. He has published papers in Journal of Financial Intermediation, Journal of Banking and Finance and Economics Letters. Prior to his employment at the VU University Amsterdam, he holds visiting positions in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Bank of Finland.