Assistant Professor of Finance
International College of Economics and Finance
HSE University
I will join the University of Queensland as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Finance in Fall 2026. I graduated from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto with a Ph.D. in Finance in October 2025.
Research Interests
Asset Management
Sustainable Finance
Contact: anna.rozhkova@rotmanalum.utoronto.ca | LinkedIn
Jun 2026: JMP accepted for presentation at the Northern Finance Association (NFA) Conference
Jan 2026: JMP presented at the American Finance Association (AFA) Junior Faculty Mentoring Workshop
Oct 2025: JMP presented at the Financial Management Association (FMA) Annual Meeting
Aug 2025: JMP presented at the European Finance Association (EFA) Annual Meeting
Effects of Anti-ESG Legislation: Evidence from the Mutual Fund Industry [SSRN] (Job Market Paper)
Conference Presentations: NFA 2026 (scheduled), AFA 2026 (Junior Faculty Mentoring Workshop), EFA Annual Meeting 2025 (Paris), FMA Annual Meeting 2025, 6th Canadian Sustainable Finance Network Conference 2025
5th Annual FIASI-Fordham University Sustainable Finance Research Competition Finalist (2025)
Abstract: This paper studies how imposing restrictions on public pension funds over ESG investments affects the mutual fund industry. I exploit state-level staggered variation in the recent implementation of two types of anti-ESG laws targeting state and local public pension funds: anti-boycott and anti-ESG investing laws. Using a difference-in-differences analysis based on mutual funds' heterogeneous exposure to these laws within states, I show that mutual funds align their portfolios with the restrictions imposed on state and local public pension funds by anti-ESG laws. I find that mutual funds reduce portfolio ESG scores by 1.5% and allocate more assets to the fossil fuel industry in response to anti-boycott laws, while reducing ESG scores by 3 - 12% in response to anti-ESG investing laws. These changes positively influence fund flows and performance and have spillover effects on out-of-state and international institutional investors. Overall, the results suggest that anti-ESG legislation targeting state and local public pension funds has significant implications for the mutual fund industry and other institutional investors.
How Does Menu Design Affect College Savings Plans' Attractiveness? with Alexey Vasilenko
Conference Presentations: MFA Annual Meeting 2024, FMA Annual Meeting 2024
Abstract: This paper studies how menu design affects household participation and contributions in 529 college savings plans. We exploit two types of state-level staggered variation in plan menu design: the inclusion of investment options tailored to different risk tolerance levels and the addition of an alternative menu through the creation of an additional in-state 529 plan. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we show that implemented menu design changes have diverse effects on household investments in 529 college savings plans. We find that both the inclusion of risk-based target date options and the addition of alternative menu increase in-state participation and contributions to college savings plans. Expanding the menu to include static asset allocation options raises household contributions but not participation, while having a positive spillover effect on flows to other investment options. Our results suggest that modifying the menu design of 529 college savings plans can enhance investment in human capital.
Real Effects of Anti-ESG Legislation: Evidence from Pension Funds Proxy Voting
Synopsis: This paper investigates how restrictions on public pension funds’ ESG investments affect their proxy voting behavior and the implications for corporate outcomes. Exploiting state-level staggered variation in the adoption of anti-ESG laws in the U.S., I analyze changes in support for ESG-related shareholder proposals among affected funds and the resulting consequences for firms.
ESG Investing in the ETF Space: International Evidence (draft available soon)
Synopsis: This paper identifies country-specific factors that explain cross-country differences in sustainable ETF markets, with a particular focus on Europe, using recently developed sovereign sustainability indices. The findings shed light on additional drivers of investor demand for sustainable investments.
When Are Credit Gap Estimates Reliable? with E. Deryugina and A. Ponomarenko
Economic Analysis and Policy 67 (2020): 221-238
Macro-Financial Linkages: the Role of Liquidity Dependence with A. Ponomarenko and S. Seleznev
BIS Working Paper No.716 (2018)
