Senior 
Lecturer
BSc(Hons) PGDipCom (Otago) MSc (UBC) PhD (Otago)
Tel 64 3 479 8072
Office OBS 3.42
Email helen.roberts@otago.ac.nz
Dr Roberts has an active interest in research related to the relationship between CEO compensation, firm performance and corporate governance. After completing doctoral studies that examined the relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance for publicly listed New Zealand firms she has extended her research to areas such as board structure and the relationship between ownership, asymmetric information and corporate governance.
Dr Roberts has an extensive database that looks at the cash and equity incentive component of compensation for CEOs of publicly listed New Zealand firms. She is also currently supervising three MBus students who have thesis topics which examine questions regarding executive compensation and the effect of asymmetric information on corporate governance of New Zealand firms.
Dr Roberts is an Advisor of Studies for the Bachelor of Commerce with Honours majoring in Finance.
Teaching
- ACFI 359
- FINC 202
- ACFI 305
- FINC 410
Research interests
The relationship between CEO compensation, firm performance and corporate governance
Publications
Roberts, H., & Li, M. (2017). Corporate governance in New Zealand. In A. N. Kostyuk, U. Braendle & V. Capizzi (Eds.), Corporate governance: New challenges and opportunities. (pp. 103-110). Sumy, Ukraine: Virtus.
Diaz-Rainey, I., Roberts, H., & Lont, D. H. (2017). Crude inventory accounting and speculation in the physical oil market. Energy Economics, 66, 508-522. doi: 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.03.029
Li, M., & Roberts, H. (2017). Director and CEO pay reciprocity and CEO board membership. Journal of Economics & Business, 91, 54-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jeconbus.2017.10.002
Tadele, H., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2017). Microfinance institutions’ transparency in Sub-Saharan Africa. Applied Economics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00036846.2017.1368993
Li, M., & Roberts, H. (2017). Does mandated independence improve firm performance? Evidence from New Zealand. Pacific Accounting Review. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/PAR-01-2017-0004
Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Regasa, D., Fielding, D., & Roberts, H. (2017). Access to financing and firm growth: Evidence from Ethiopia [Economics Discussion Papers No. 1707]. Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago. 29p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/7267
Gebremariam, H., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. (2016). MFI website accessibility. Social Science Research Network. 34p. Retrieved from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2725609
Roberts, H. (2005). Growth in CEO compensation and firm performance do CEOs gain at the expense of shareholders? Evidence for New Zealand firms 1997-2002. University of Otago, Dunedin: Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis. 29p.
Roberts, H. (2005). An investigation of the pay-performance sensitivity for New Zealand firms 1997-2002. University of Otago, Dunedin: Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis. 31p.
Roberts, H. (2005). A review of CEO compensation research theory, evidence and future direction. University of Otago, Dunedin: Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis. 30p.
Roberts, H. (2005). CEO compensation in New Zealand: A descriptive analysis of CEO pay levels 1997-2002. University of Otago, Dunedin: Department of Finance and Quantitative Analysis. 44p.
Other Research Output
Whiting, R., & Roberts, H. (2014, March). Board diversity and firm performance: Empirical evidence from Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Department of Accountancy and Finance Seminar, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Department Seminar].
Chapter in Book - Research
Roberts, H., & Li, M. (2017). Corporate governance in New Zealand. In A. N. Kostyuk, U. Braendle & V. Capizzi (Eds.), Corporate governance: New challenges and opportunities. (pp. 103-110). Sumy, Ukraine: Virtus.
Journal - Research Article
Diaz-Rainey, I., Roberts, H., & Lont, D. H. (2017). Crude inventory accounting and speculation in the physical oil market. Energy Economics, 66, 508-522. doi: 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.03.029
Li, M., & Roberts, H. (2017). Does mandated independence improve firm performance? Evidence from New Zealand. Pacific Accounting Review. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/PAR-01-2017-0004
Tadele, H., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2017). Microfinance institutions’ transparency in Sub-Saharan Africa. Applied Economics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00036846.2017.1368993
Li, M., & Roberts, H. (2017). Director and CEO pay reciprocity and CEO board membership. Journal of Economics & Business, 91, 54-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jeconbus.2017.10.002
Tadele, H., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2016). Microfinance institutions' website accessibility. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2016.10.003
Srivastava, S., Lin, H., Premachandra, I. M., & Roberts, H. (2016). Global risk spillover and the predictability of sovereign CDS spread: International evidence. International Review of Economics & Finance, 41, 371-390. doi: 10.1016/j.iref.2015.10.047
Tajaddini, R., Crack, T. F., & Roberts, H. (2015). Price and earnings momentum, transaction costs, and an innovative practitioner technique. International Review of Finance, 15(4), 555-597. doi: 10.1111/irfi.12065
Crack, T. F., & Roberts, H. (2015). Credit cards, excess debt, and the time value of money: The parable of the debt banana. Journal of Financial Education, 41(1), 117-137.
Crack, T. F., & Roberts, H. (2015). Credit card balances and repayment under competing minimum payment regimes. Review of Quantitative Finance & Accounting, 45(4), 785-801. doi: 10.1007/s11156-014-0455-3
Low, D. C. M., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2015). Board gender diversity and firm performance: Empirical evidence from Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 35, 381-401. doi: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2015.02.008
Boyle, G., & Roberts, H. (2012). CEO presence on the compensation committee: A puzzle. Journal of Economics & Business, 70, 16-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jeconbus.2012.08.002
Boyle, G., Clyne, S., & Roberts, H. (2006). Valuing employee stock options: Implications for the implementation of NZ IFRS 2+. Pacific Accounting Review, 18(1), 3-20.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Diaz-Rainey, I., Roberts, H., & Lont, D. (2016). Can accounting inventory data shed light on physical oil market speculation? IAEE Energy Forum, (Bergen Spec. Iss.), 23-24.
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Noviarini, J., Roberts, H., Coleman, A., & Whiting, R. H. (2017). Financial adequacy in retirement: The role of asset liquidity in New Zealand. Proceedings of the 25th Annual Colloquium of Superannuation Researchers Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR). Retrieved from https://www.cepar.edu.au/news-events/events/25th-colloquium-superannuation-researchers
McCarten, M., Diaz-Rainey, I., & Roberts, H. (2016). Lobbying and securities class actions pre- and post-SOX. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2016/schedule/
Li, M., & Roberts, H. (2015). CEO board membership: Evidence from NZ data. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2015/colloquium/
Borthwick, A., & Roberts, H. (2015). The effect of NZX 2003 regulated corporate governance. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2015/colloquium/
Roberts, H., & Diaz-Rainey, I. (2015). Educational performance, ‘clicker’ engagement and ethnicity: Evidence from Finance 101. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2015/colloquium/
Rahmaniani, M., Zhang, J. E., & Roberts, H. (2015). Modeling the dynamics of correlations among international equity volatility indices. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2015/colloquium/
Low, D. C. M., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2014). Board diversity and firm performance: Empirical evidence from Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Proceedings of the 5th Financial Markets and Corporate Governance Conference (FMCGC). Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=2364225
Crack, T. F., & Roberts, H. (2013). Credit cards, excess debt, and the time value of money: The parable of the debt banana. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2013/programme/
Struthers, S., & Roberts, H. (2013). Director effectiveness and firm performance before and after the adoption of the NZX corporate governance best practice code. Proceedings of the New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2013/programme/
Roberts, H., & Tompkins, N. E. (2011). Agency theory, corporate governance, and dividend payout in New Zealand. Proceedings of the 15th New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2011/programme.html
Darby, Z., & Roberts, H. (2010). The effectiveness of board ownership structures in New Zealand. Proceedings of the 14th New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2010/programme.html
Boyle, G., & Roberts, H. (2009). Go along to get along? Pay-performance sensitivity and CEO membership of the compensation committee. Proceedings of the 13th New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2009/programme.html
Boyle, G., Clyne, S., & Roberts, H. (2006). How much do employee stock options really cost? Proceedings of the 10th Annual New Zealand Finance Colloquium. Retrieved from http://www.nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2006/Schedule_HelpDesk.htm
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Lont, D. H., Ranasinghe, D., & Roberts, H. (2017). CEO compensation and non-GAAP disclosures. Proceedings of the 8th Financial Markets and Corporate Governance (FMCG) Conference. Retrieved from https://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacl
Biswas, P. K., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2017). CSR reporting in Bangladesh: The introduction of Corporate Governance Guidelines. Proceedings of the 8th Financial Markets and Corporate Governance (FMCG) Conference. Retrieved from https://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacl
Adler, R., Crombie, N., Dixon, K., & Roberts, H. (2016). Lecturing proficiency and effectiveness of New Zealand accounting and finance academics. Proceedings of the Mid-Atlantic Region Meeting of the American Accounting Association. Retrieved from http://aaahq.org/Meetings/2016/Mid-Atlantic-Region
Diaz-Rainey, I., Roberts, H., & Lont, D. (2016). Crude inventory accounting and speculation in the physical oil market [Extended abstract]. Proceedings of the 39th International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) Conference. Retrieved from http://www.iaee2016nhh.no/
Diaz-Rainey, I., Lont, D., & Roberts, H. (2015). Crude inventory accounting and speculation in the physical oil market. Proceedings of the Otago Energy Research Centre (OERC) Symposium. (pp. 16). Retrieved from http://www.otago.ac.nz/oerc/
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
McCarten, M., Diaz-Rainey, I., Roberts, H., & Tan, E. (2017, June). Political lobbying and securities class actions. Verbal presentation at the Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance (JAAF) Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Whiting, R., Biswas, P., & Roberts, H. (2017, June). Family ties, female directors and CSR reporting in Bangladesh. Verbal presentation at the Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance (JAAF) Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Roberts, H., Biswas, P. K., & Whiting, R. (2017, June). CSR reporting in Bangladesh: The introduction of corporate governance guidelines. Verbal presentation at the Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance (JAAF) Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Ranasinghe, D., Lont, D., & Roberts, H. (2017, June). CEO compensation and non-GAAP disclosures. Verbal presentation at the Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance (JAAF) Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Roberts, H. M., & McKnight, S. (2015, September). Managerial incentives, risk aversion and corporate policy decisions. Verbal presentation at the International Finance and Banking Society (IFABS) Corporate Finance Conference: Institutions, Governance and Finance in Globally Connected Environment, Oxford, UK.
Lin, H., Premachandra, I., Roberts, H., & Srivastava, S. (2013, July). Global risk spillover and the predictability of sovereign credit default swap spread: International evidence. Verbal presentation at the Global Financial Stability and Prosperity Conference: Systemic Risk: Liquidity Risk, Governance and Financial Stability, Sydney, Australia.
