Focus Carolina: Christian Lundblad

Christian Lundblad and other experts from Kenan-Flagler Business School have partnered to help business leaders address the challenges of moving the state’s economy forward. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Christian Lundblad directs research at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise to help business leaders in North Carolina understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He and other experts have partnered to address the challenges of moving the state’s economy forward.

They formed the North Carolina CEO Leadership Forum, a group of senior executives from North Carolina’s leading companies that come together to discuss how the pandemic is impacting their businesses and how they are addressing challenges.

“It’s undeniable that our work environment is not exactly going to go back to the way it was before. We’ve conducted a colossal experiment as a consequence to all of this,” Lundblad said. “But I think it’s important for us then to figure out what are the right investments as firms and as a state that we need to make to try to make this as beneficial to our state and our society as possible.”

Experts from UNC Kenan-Flagler share insights from research to provide a broad perspective on solutions to help the state move its economy forward.

Lundblad, the Richard “Dick” Levin Distinguished Professor of Finance, Area Chair of Finance and Associate Dean of the Ph.D. Program, notes that the pandemic has adversely affected working women across the country. While some women have left the labor market, others have stayed in the labor market and are managing the challenges of navigating education for their children from home.

“I think it also has reminded us or unearthed some things that we thought had changed that perhaps hadn’t,” Lundblad said, adding that businesses need to continue to look at this challenge.

He earned a doctorate in financial economics and a master’s degree in economics from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and English literature with highest honors from Washington University in St. Louis.

Every day, faculty members at UNC-Chapel Hill engage in groundbreaking research, innovative teaching and public service that makes an impact in our community and the state, nation and the world.

Tune in to Focus Carolina during morning, noon and evening drive times and on the weekends to hear their stories and find out what ignites their passion for their work. Focus Carolina is an exclusive program on WCHL, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can listen to WCHL at 97.9 FM or 1360 AM.