Investigating how global financial networks drive economic change, shape urban futures, influence socio-ecological sustainability and foster — or hinder — innovation, through the lens of structure, power and agency.
Today’s financial world is shaped by powerful networks connecting cities, firms and professionals across the globe. This group of research projects explores how finance functions as a deeply interconnected system, with certain cities like Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Dublin and Paris acting as major financial hubs - or International Financial Centres (IFCs). These centres don’t just compete for money and capital - they influence how people work, how economies grow and even how decarbonisation and sustainability goals are pursued.
Evolving Financial Landscapes: From Global Banks to Blockchain
Some research projects look at how financial networks are changing - for example, how Chinese banks are expanding into Europe through Luxembourg, or how events like Brexit and COVID-19 have shifted jobs and investment between cities. Other projects explore how financial power can either support or clash with emerging economic models, such as the circular economy and other alternative systems. There’s also strong interest in innovation, like how blockchain could change the way land and property are owned and traded.
Shaping Cities, People and Policies
Research in this area shows that finance isn’t just about money - it’s about the connections between places, people and policies. As financial networks grow and shift, they reshape cities and influence how we live, work and invest in the future - creating both new challenges and opportunities.
