By Lacie Blankenship
Anna Helmke, Assistant Professor of Finance, is one of 6 new full-time faculty members who joined Vanderbilt Business in the fall of 2024. Helmke earned her PhD in finance from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. She has completed research fellowships at the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Helmke grew up in Germany, and before Wharton, she attended the University of Oxford, where she received an MSc in financial economics. Professor Anna Helmke’s research interests include asset management, financial institutions, and financial stability, with a focus on non-bank financial intermediation and portfolio theory.
Anna Helmke, Assistant Professor of Finance
Why Vanderbilt Business?
Vanderbilt Business is a great match for my research focus and the overall school agenda, which seems very focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. I also like how faculty are given lots of opportunities to contribute to the research environment, for example by organizing conferences or designing their classes in a way that matches their expertise and students’ evolving interests. This culture enables you to design your path as a professor in a way that works well with your own research agenda.
What are your research interests?
Generally, I’m interested in the rise of index investing, specifically its implications for individual investors and financial stability. Index investing, through ETFs, mutual funds or separately managed accounts, has been one of the mega trends reshaping financial markets over the past decade. I find this development fascinating because it has made investing so much more accessible for the average household, but there are some risks and potential unintended consequences that we still need to better understand. Overall, I would like my research to inform both investors and policymakers.
What’s one piece of advice you have for your students?
The advice I would give is probably the same advice that I got myself but found very hard to follow. When I was a student, especially after undergrad, I was very worried about what kind of career choices I should make. Everybody used to tell me, don’t worry, just start working on something that interests you, and then you will chart your own career path from there. It’s very true, but it’s tough to believe because, in your early 20s, you like to think every decision you take is the most important choice of your life. Having said that, I truly believe that college is the time to experiment and find out what you’re really interested in, what keeps you up at night. Once you find an opportunity that broadly aligns with your interests, over time you’ll find your true passion. It’s okay, and in fact more exciting, to not have your future career perfectly planned out straight away.
What should the Vanderbilt business community know about you?
First and foremost, I’m very excited to meet them all and connect with everybody at Vanderbilt Business. I’m always very curious to hear from all parts of the community—students, alumni, and faculty from outside of Owen—and learn more about their own research ideas or careers, and any potential questions they may have about my areas of expertise. I am looking forward to getting in touch!
What’s a good book you’ve read recently or watched that you’ve enjoyed?
I am a bit of a history nerd. I just rewatched this documentary on German TV about the history of Germany starting. It’s called “Die Deutschen” which literally translates to “The Germans” and illustrates how the country developed starting with Otto the Great in the 10th century. Of course, you learn all these historical facts during high school, but then, over time, you forget. So, I’ve been rewatching that and trying to memorize everything I used to know so well in high school.
What other things are you passionate about outside your work?
I love hiking and running because I really enjoy being outside. I think it’s the perfect complement to our work as researchers and academics, which is very computer-based—with most time spent being inside, sitting in front of your computer. I love how sports can help bring together different communities by reminding us that we are passionate about the same fundamental things.
What excites you about living in Nashville?
It’s such a young and vibrant city. There are so many things going on, and people want to be out and do stuff. I’m also very curious about the music scene. I’m not so much into country music yet, but I’m very open-minded. So, I’m excited to explore that more.
