Crystal (Yanting) SHI

Crystal Shi, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, is an assistant professor at HEC Paris. Her work bridges corporate governance and labor economics, delivering data-driven insights on boards, transparency, and inequality to regulators, investors, executives, directors, and employees.

Crystal Shi’s research examines how board structure, labor practices, and corporate disclosures influence firm outcomes for both shareholders and stakeholders. Her projects cover a wide range of timely and impactful topics, including the effects of director certification, the role of professional platforms like LinkedIn in board recruitment, how capital markets perceive boardroom inclusion and workforce pay gaps, how governance processes shape the quality of high-stakes board decisions, and how operational frictions affect employee satisfaction. She also studies the board’s role in addressing cybersecurity risks.

Crystal’s work offers practical insights into board effectiveness, labor market efficiency, and corporate transparency. Her studies have been published in top academic journals and featured by platforms such as Columbia Law’s Blue Sky Blog and the Harvard Governance Forum.

With extensive experience in auditing, corporate finance, and management, Crystal brings a grounded perspective to governance challenges. At HEC Paris, she teaches across the MBA, EMBA, and Grande École programs and is known for her clarity and student engagement. She also actively mentors MBA students - especially women - on leadership development and navigating gender bias in the workplace.