Professor John Ashton
Professor of Financial Regulation

Profile

Biography

John Ashton is a Professor of Financial Regulation, joining the School for Business and Society in December 2021. John has previously worked at the University of Leeds, the University of East Anglia, Bangor University and Bournemouth University, teaching banking, finance and associated areas since 1993. Professor Ashtons’ academic interests have focused on regulation and pricing within banking, insurance and utility markets. John is a Fellow of the Chartered Bankers Institute, is a member of the academic panel of the Competition and Markets Authority and has undertaken policy guidance and training for the UK financial regulator. John also acts as the Chair of the Financial Markets and Institutions Special Interest Group for the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) and is the Editor of the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance. Prior to his academic career John worked in the financial services industry. 

Subject Group

Accounting and Finance

Research

Overview

John’s research focuses on financial and economic regulation and the pricing of financial services. Recent areas of interest have been assessment of pricing of retail financial services and improving the regulation of financial markets and firms. Recent policy contributions have involved examining loyalty costs in financial services markets and evaluating lowering barriers to entry to the UK banking market.

John is a Chartered Banking Fellow, is the Editor of the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, has undertaken training for the Financial Conduct Authority and has made contributions to a diversity of policy fora in the UK and Europe in areas of financial regulation and payment systems.

Publications

Selected publications

Full publications list

Kang, W., Ashton, J., Orujov, A. and Wang, Y. (2023). “Realizing Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards”, International Journal of the Economics of Business, 30:1, 1-29.

Ashton, J.K., Burnett, T., Diaz Rainey I. and Ormosi, P, (2021). “Known unknowns: How much financial misconduct is detected and deterred?”, International Journal of Financial Markets, Institutions and Money. 74

Onal, M, Ashton, J.K (2021). “Is the Journey More Important than the Destination? The EU Accession Process and the Corporate Governance of Banks”, Journal of Common Market Studies. 59(6). 1516–1535.

Wang, Y, Ashton, J.K. and Jaafar, A. (2019) “Money shouts! How effective are punishments for accounting fraud?”, British Accounting Review, vol. 51, no.5, pp. 1-18.

Wang, Y, Ashton, J.K. and Jaafar, A. (2019). “Does mutual fund investment deter accounting fraud?”, Emerging Markets Review, 38(1). 142-158.

O’Callaghan S, Ashton J. K and Hodgkinson L (2018). “Earnings management and managerial ownership in private UK firms.”, Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 19(4): 648-668.

Ashton, J.K. and Hudson, R. (2017) “The price, quality and distribution of mortgage payment protection insurance”, British Accounting Review, 49(2): 242-255.

Ashton, J.K. and Gregoriou, A. (2017). “Do overdraft users cross-subsidise other current account customers?”, International Journal of the Economics of Business, 24(1): 1-26.

Ashton, J.K. (2016). “Add-on goods and contingent charges. How behavioural economics has affected the regulation of Overdraft and Payment Protection Insurance markets”, The Review of Behavioural Finance, 8(2): 94 – 113.

Ashton, J.K., Gregoriou, A. and Healy, J. (2016). “Deposit Choice, Price and Costs: An assessment of factors influencing retail deposit supply”, The European Journal of Finance, 22(11): 1086 - 1108.

Ashton, J. K. (2016). “Rebuilding Trust, Empowering Markets and Enhancing Consumer Responsibility. Challenges Facing Financial Regulation and Compliance”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 24(1).

Yu, M. and Ashton, J.K. (2015). “Board leadership structure, incentive alignment mechanisms and firm performance for Chinese public listed companies”, China Economic Review, 34: 236-48.

Diaz-Rainey, I., and Ashton J.K. (2015). “Domestic Energy Efficiency Measures. Adopter Heterogeneity and Policies to Induce Diffusion”, Energy Policy, 82:105-17.

Ashton, J.K. and Gregoriou, A. (2014). “The Influence of Banking Centralisation on Depositors: Regional Heterogeneities in the Transmission of Monetary Policy”, Regional Studies, 48(9): 1467-82.

Ashton, J.K. and Hudson, R. (2014). “Do lenders cross subsidise loans by selling payment protection insurance?” International Journal of the Economics of Business, 21(1): 121–38.

Anderson, R., Ashton, J.K. and Hudson, R. (2014) “The Influence of Product Age on Pricing Decisions: An Examination of Bank Deposit Interest Rate Setting”, Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 31(8): 216-30.

Ashton, J.K. “Do Depositors Benefit from Bank Mergers? An Examination of the UK Deposit Market”. (2012). The International Journal of the Economics of Business, 19(1): 1-23.

Diaz-Rainey, I., and Ashton J.K. (2011). “Profiling potential green electricity tariff adopters: Green consumerism as an environmental policy tool?”, Business Strategy and the Environment, 20: 456-70.

Diaz-Rainey, I., Siems, M., Ashton, J.K., (2011). “The Financial Regulation of Energy and Environmental Markets”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 19(4): 355-69.

Ashton, J.K., Gerrard, B. and Hudson, R. (2011). “Do National Soccer Results Really Impact on the Stock Market?”, Applied Economics, 43(26): 3709-17.

Ashton, J.K. and Pressey, A. (2011). “The Regulatory Challenge to Branding: An Interpretation of UK Competition Authority Investigations 1950-2005”, Journal of Marketing Management, 27(9-10): 1027-58

Ashton, J.K. (2009). “Does the UK have regional banking markets? An assessment of UK deposit provision 1992-2006.” Applied Economics Letters, 16(11): 1123-28.

Ashton, J.K. (2009). “Synchronisation and Staggering of Interest Rate Changes by UK financial Services Firms”, International Review of Applied Economics 23(1): 55-69.

Pressey, A.P. and Ashton, J.K. (2009). “The Antitrust Implications of Electronic Markets”, Industrial Marketing Management, 38(4): 468-76.

Ashton J.K. and Pressey, A.P. (2008). “The Regulatory Perception of the Marketing Function. Interpretation of UK Competition Authority Investigations 1950-2005”, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 27(2): 156-64.

Diaz-Rainey, I. and Ashton J.K. (2008). “Stuck between and ROC and a hard place? UK consumers’ willingness to pay for green electricity”, Energy Policy 36(8): 3043-51.

Ashton, J.K. and Hudson, R. (2008). “Interest Rate Clustering in UK Financial Services Markets”, Journal of Banking and Finance, 32(7): 1393-403.

Gaskel, J. and Ashton, J.K. (2008). “Developing a Financial Services Planning Profession in the UK: An Examination of Past and Present Developments”, The Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 16(2): 159-72.

Costanzo, L. and Ashton, J.K. (2006). “Product Innovation and Consumer Choice in the UK Financial Services Industry”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 14(3): 285-303.

Ashton J.K. and Keasey, K. (2005). “Competition and the Provision of Banking Services to UK SMEs”, Small Business Economics 24(5): 477-485.

Ashton J. K. (2005). “Managerial Perspectives on the Importance of Ownership: The Case of UK Building Society Conversion”, The Journal of Finance and Management in the Public Services 5(1): 13-24.

Ashton J. K. and Pressey, A. (2004). “The Regulatory Challenge to Relationship Marketing in UK Banking”, The International Journal of Bank Marketing, 22(6): 453-64.

 Shiwakoti, R. K., Ashton, J.K. and Keasey, K. (2004). “Conversion, Performance and Executive Compensation in UK Building Societies”, Corporate Governance: An International Review, 12(3): 361-70.

Ashton, J.K., Gerrard, B. and Hudson, R. (2003). “The Economic Impact of National Sporting success: Evidence from the London Stock Exchange”, Applied Economic Letters, 10(12): 783-85.

 Ashton, J.K. and Letza, S. (2003). “The Differential Returns Offered by Mutually Owned and Proprietary UK Depository Institutions: 1993-2000”, The Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 74(2): 183-204.

Ashton, J.K. (2003). “Capital utilisation and scale in the English and Welsh water industry”, The Service Industries Journal, 23(5): 137-49.

Ashton J.K. and Keasey, K. (2003). “Lending Decision Making and the Competition Commission Report on the Provision of Banking Services to Small Firms”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 11(1): 26-36.

Ashton, J.K. (2002). “Pricing Behaviour Across Multiple Distribution Channels in the UK Deposit Account Market: 1997-2001”, The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research 12(4): 449-56.

Ashton, J.K. and Boyes, G. (2002). “Cruickshank’s Recommendations as to the future of the UK payment system”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance 10(3): 209-18.

Ashton, J.K. (2002). “How reliable are the recommendations of the Cruickshank Report? An assessment of market definition in UK competition analysis of retail banking markets”, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance 10(1): 15-21.

Ashton, J.K. (2001). “A Test of Perfect Competition in the UK Retail-Banking Deposit Market”, The Service Industries Journal, 21(4): 119-32.

Ashton, J.K. (2001). “Market Definition in the UK Deposit Savings Account Market”, Regional Studies, 35(6): 577-90.

Ashton, J.K. (2001). “Efficiency Characteristics of the British Retail Banking Sector”, The Service Industries Journal, 21(2): 159-74.

Ashton, J.K. (2000). “Cost efficiency in the UK water and sewerage industry”, Applied Economics Letters, 7(7): 455-58.

Ashton, J.K. (2000). “Total factor productivity growth and Technical change in the English and Welsh water and sewerage industry”, The Service Industries Journal, 20(4): 121-30.

Ashton, J.K. and Hardwick, P. (2000). “Estimating Inefficiencies in Banking”, Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics, 11: 1-33.

Ashton, J.K. (2000) “A General Test of Competitive Conditions in UK Building Societies: 1990-95”, The Service Industries Journal, 20(1):87-95.

Ashton, J.K. (1998) “Technical change in the UK retail banking sector: 1984-1995”, Applied Economics Letters, 5: 737-40. 

Teaching

Other teaching

Professor Ashton has extensive experience in teaching in multiple finance subjects, including financial and prudential regulation, financial compliance and financial ethics.