Abdulaziz M. Alwathnani, Ph.D.

Dean of College of Business & Associate Professor of Accounting

Dr. Abdulaziz is the Dean of the College of Business, and the Acting Dean for Graduate Studies and Research at Al Yamamah University. He is the Chair of the College of Business Council, a member of the Dean Council, and Al Yamamah University Council. He is the principal author of the College of Business 2020 – 2025 Strategic Vision and Plan.

Before joining Al Yamamah University, Dr. Abdulaziz was an associate professor of accounting and the Chair of the Accounting Department at Alfaisal University. He served in key administrative and leadership positions, such as a member in Alfaisal University Council, Alfaisal College of Business Council, and the chair of the Strategy and by-laws committees. As well, he served on the Scientific Committee of the Canadian Academic Accounting Association, and Ministry of Finance Technical Committee on transforming the state budgetary system from the current cash-based accounting to an accrual-based system. Before moving to Alfaisal University, Dr. Abdulaziz served as a tenured associate professor of accounting at York University of Toronto, Canada for about 9 years.

Dr. Abdulaziz is the Founding Director of the Corporate Governance Index (CGI) and the principal author of the CGI Criteria and Methodology. The CGI project was established at Alfaisal University in 2014 as a collaborative project with SAGIA. The CGI is based on the international best practices in corporate governance. The objective of the CGI project is to promote transparency, accountability, and good corporate governance in the local economy as well as to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Saudi capital market both for domestic and foreign investors, particularly institutional investors, which is an essential ingredient for market development and maturity. During the establishment phase of CGI, Dr. Abdulaziz worked with CAM, listed Saudi companies and other interested parties to garner support for the CGI project.

Dr. Abdulaziz is an IFRS expert as he has been teaching IFRS based curriculum since 2006. During his tenure at York University of Toronto, Canada from 2006 to 2014, he played a significant role in the conversion process from the Canadian GAAP to IFRS. He has about 18 years of experience in teaching and consulting services that includes projects in the area of accounting, finance, economics, and strategy. His expertise can be summarized in the following areas:

IFRS and IPSAS conversion
Accounting, financial reporting, audit, hedge accounting, risk management, and internal control and audit
Strategic financial analysis and capital budgeting
Financial planning, forecasting and business valuation
Complex financial instruments (i.e., derivatives: options, forward, & future contracts)
Investor sentiments and market price discovery process
Business restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and financial consolidations
Corporate and public sector governance
Strategy mapping – balanced scorecard
Vision and strategy development
Strategic costing and activity-based cost management systems

Dr. Abdulaziz is the principal author of the 2015 – 2020 Strategic Plan for the College of Business at Alfaisal University. As well, he is the co-author of the 2012 Business Plan: New Direction at York University. Dr. Abdulaziz has a Ph.D. in accounting with minor in finance from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United Stated of America, 2006. As well, he has a master degree in accountancy with finance and banking minor from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 1998. His research interests include: financial reporting and capital markets, behavioral finance and economics, financial statement analysis and equity valuation, accounting information and disclosure, corporate governance, market regulations, and accounting policies.

He was nominated as an AAA Doctoral Consortium Fellow, Lake Tahoe, California, 2004. He received the Dean of School of Business,, Scholar Award, spring 2006. As well, he was the recipient of His Royal Highness Prince Bandar’s (the former Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America) Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement for three consecutive semesters: Spring and fall 2002 and spring 2003. He was the winner of the 2015 Outstanding Service Award at College of Business, Alfaisal University for his leadership in developing the 2015 – 2020 College of Business Strategic Plan. He is the winner of 2018 Graduate Teaching Award for his MBA Outstanding Teaching. He is a member of the Honor Society of Beta Gamma Sigma (graduate) and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (graduate).

His research has been published in high quality peer-reviewed international journals, such as the British Accounting Review, Review of Economics and Finance, International Review of Financial Analysis, Annals of Finance and the Journal of Behavioral Finance & Economics.

Dr. Abdulaziz writes an article for Riyadh Chamber of Commerce Magazine and he writes a full-paged article for Okaz Newspaper on governance, economy, strategic development, labor market and development of human capital and other related public policies. As well, he is frequently invited by local cable TV stations to participate in discussions of areas, ranging from economic issues, to governance, to strategic development, to public policies, to education and research.

On a personal note, he and his wife are the proud parents of a beautiful twenty-year old girl (Raghad). To borrow from the author of the bestselling book, the Kite Runner, Raghad is the “nur” of their eyes.

Selected Refereed Journal Articles

Alathainani, A. (2018). The Business Cycles, Financial Crises and Capital Structures. Annals of Finance 14: 105 – 123 (with Haitham A. Al-Zoubi and Jennifer A. O'Sullivan).
Alathainani, A. (2017). Under-or-Overreaction: Market Responses to Announcements of Earnings Surprises. International Review of Financial Analysis 52: 160 – 171, (with David Dubofsky and Haitham Al – Zoubi).
Alwathainani, A. (2013). It’s all overreaction to earnings momentum: value/growth. The Journal of Behavioral Finance & Economics 3: 72 – 98.
Alwathainani, A. (2012). Market reaction to an earnings shock: a test of conservatism effect. The Journal of Behavioral Finance & Economics 2: 14 – 37.
Alwathainani, A. (2012). Consistent winners and losers. International Review of Economics and Finance 21: 210 – 220.
Alwathainani, A. (2011). Does consistency of firms’ annual returns influence investors’ expectations? The Journal of Business and Policy Research 6: 16 – 35.
Alwathainani, A. (2009). Consistency of firms’ past financial performance and future returns. The British Accounting Review 41: 184 – 196.

Research Interests

Behavioral finance and economics and how investor sentiments affect market prices and price discovery process
Financial statement analysis and equity valuation
Capital markets and asset pricing
Market regulations and corporate governance
Financial reporting and disclosure

Honors and Awards

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, 2018, Alfaisal University
Outstanding Faculty Service Award, 2015, Alfaisal University
The Dean, School of Business, Scholar Award, VCU, Spring 2006.
Membership of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (Graduate), 2006.
Membership of the Honor Society of Beta Gamma Sigma (Graduate), 2006.
AAA/Deloitte/J. Michael Cook Doctoral Consortium Fellow, Lake Tahoe, 2004.
His Royal Highness Prince Bandar’s (the former Saudi Ambassador to the USA) Award for achieving a GPA of 4:00 out of 4:00, Fall 2003.
His Royal Highness Prince Bandar’s (the former Saudi Ambassador to the USA) Award for achieving a GPA of 4:00 out of 4:00, Spring 2003.
His Royal Highness Prince Bandar’s (the former Saudi Ambassador to the USA) Award for achieving a GPA of 4:00 out of 4:00, Spring 2002.
Full Doctoral Scholarship, 2001-2006 (the Government of Saudi Arabia)
Full Master Degree Scholarship, 1996-1999 (the Government of Saudi Arabia)

Conference Proceeding Articles

Alathainani, A. It’s all overreaction: the post earnings announcement momentum: a revisit. The 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Accounting Association (AAA). Atlanta, GA, August, 2014, forthcoming (with David Dubofsky).
Alwathainani, A. It’s all overreaction to earnings momentum: value/growth. The Annual Meeting of the Southern Finance Association. November 2013.
Alathainani, A. The post earnings announcement momentum: a revisit. The 2013 Midyear Meeting of the Financial Reporting Section, American Accounting Association (AAA). Hartford, Connecticut, October, 2013.
Alathainani, A. The post earnings announcement momentum: a revisit. The 2013 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics. Chicago, IL, September 2013.
Alwathainani, A. It’s all overreaction to earnings momentum: value/growth. The American Accounting Association (AAA) Annual Conference. Anaheim, California, August 201
Alwathainani, A. Market reaction to an earnings shock: a test of the conservatism effect. The 2012 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Academic Accounting Association. Charlottetown, Prince Edwards, May, 2012.
Alwathainani, A. It’s all overreaction to earnings momentum: value/growth. The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Academic Accounting Association. Toronto, Ontario, May, 201
Alwathainani, A. Market reaction to an earnings shock: a test of the conservatism effect. The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics. Los Angeles, California, September 2011.
Alwathainani, A. Consistent winners and losers. The Academy of Business Research Conference. New Orleans, LA, March 201
Alwathainani, A. Market reaction to an earnings shock: a test of the conservatism effect. The 2011 American Accounting Association (AAA) Annual Conference. Denver, Colorado, August 201
Alwathainani, A. It’s all overreaction to earnings momentum: value/growth. The 2010 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics, Chicago, IL, September, 2010.
Alwathainani, A. Do consistent earnings signals affect market expectations? The Annual Conference on Accounting, Athens, Greece, July 2010.
Alwathainani, A, Does consistency of monthly returns generate price momentum and subsequent reversals? The Annual London Business Research Conference, London, UK, July 2010.
Alwathainani, A. Does bad economic news play a greater role in shaping investors’ expectations than good economic news? The Behavioral Decision Research in Management Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, June 2010.

Current Teaching

ACC 503: Financial Accounting for MBA

Graduate Teaching

Financial Accounting
Financial Statement Analysis and Equity Valuation
Accounting and Finance for Non-Financial Managers.
Business Fundamentals
Management Accounting
Research Methodology

Undergraduate Teaching

Introduction to Financial Accounting
Intermediate Financial Accounting I
Intermediate Financial Accounting II
Cost Accounting
Advance Financial Accounting.
Accounting Theory

Service and Administrative Experience

The Dean of College of Business and acting Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at Al Yamamah University, 2019 – Present.
A member of the University Council at Al Yamamah Univeristy, 2019 – present.
The Chair of the College of Business Council, Al Yamamah University, 2019 – present.
A member of the Dean Council, Al Yamamah University, 2019 – present.
A member of the Research and Graduate Studies Council, Al Yamamah University, 2019 – present.
The Chair of the Strategy Committee at Business Council, Al Yamamah University, 2019 – present.
The Principal author of the College of Business Strategic Vision and Plan 2019 – 2025, Al Yamamah University.
A member of a government committee that is mandated to transform the budgetary system from the current cash-based accounting to an accrual-based system, 2016 – present.
The Chair of the Accounting Department Recruiting Committee at Alfaisal University, 2018
The chair of a subcommittee in charge of revising the College of Business Strategy, 2018
A member of the Undergraduate Committee at Alfaisal University, 2016 – 2019
A member of the Accreditation Committee at Alfaisal University, 2016 – 2019
A member of the College of Business Council, Alfaisal University, 2015 – 2019.
The Chair of the Accounting Department, College of Business, Alfaisal University, 2014 – 2019.
Chairing a Panel Discussion at Nazaha Third International Conference, 2018
The Chair of the Strategy Committee, College of Business, Alfaisal University, 2014 – 2015.
A member of the University Council, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2014 – 2016.
The Chair of the Appeal Committee, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2014 – 2015.
A member of the Faculty Recruiting Committee, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2014 – 2016.
A member of the Provost Faculty Committee, at Alfaisal Univeristy, 2014 – 2016.
A member of the Scientific Committee of the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA): 2012 – 2016.
The author of the Vision and Roadmap Document for Alfaisal College of Business, 2012 – 2013.
A member of the Faculty Recruiting Committee at York University: 2011 – 2013
Coordinator of the Honor Business Minor at York University: 2009 – 2012
Coordinator of the Business Fundamental Certificate Program at York University: 2009 – 2012.
A member of the Strategy Committee at York University: 2009 – 2012
A member of the Teaching and Learning Committee at York University: 2009 – 2012
A member of the Coordinators and Curriculum Committee at York University: 2009 – 2012
Leading the effort to integrate the Business Fundamental Certificate Program into the main program courses at York University: 2010 - 2012.
Leading the effort to restructure and promote the Honor Business Minor at York University: 2009 – 2012
A co-author of the Undergraduate Business Education Strategic Plan: a New Direction at York University: June 2010
A referee for a number of peer-reviewed journals such as the British Accounting Review and International Review of Economics and Finance.
A referee, moderator, discussant and chair at several academic conferences such as the Annual Meeting of the American Accounting Association, the Canadian Academic Accounting Association, and the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics.