Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fereshteh Mahmoudian | Innovation Management | Canada
Dr. Fereshteh Mahmoudian is an Associate Professor of Accounting at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business. A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA), her research bridges sustainability reporting, corporate governance, and performance measurement. She holds a PhD in Accounting from the University of Calgary and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. She is also recognized for her strong academic leadership and industry-relevant scholarship.
Profiles
Education
Dr. Fereshteh Mahmoudian holds a PhD in Accounting from the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. Her doctoral research explored the integration of internal strategic and operational controls to sustain corporate performance, with a specific focus on the relationships between sustainability reporting, CEO power, pay ratios, and board diversity. She also holds a Master’s degree in Economics with a specialization in Finance from the Institute for Advanced Education and Research on Management in Tehran, where her thesis examined optimal capital structures of publicly listed companies. She began her academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran.
Experience
Dr. Mahmoudian currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Her academic journey at SFU has included roles as Assistant Professor, Lecturer, and Sessional Instructor, where she has taught courses across undergraduate, MSc, and PhD levels. Earlier in her career, she held teaching roles at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, where she focused on financial and managerial accounting subjects. Outside academia, she worked as a Certified Sage ACCPAC Financial and Operational System Consultant in Calgary, advising clients on ERP implementation and systems optimization. Before moving to Canada, she also served as a banking consultant in Tehran, where she contributed to banking system reforms and development of new financial products.
Research Focus
Her research centers around sustainability reporting, corporate social responsibility, performance measurement, and corporate governance. She is particularly interested in the intersection of executive characteristics, board composition, and organizational control systems in shaping sustainability outcomes. Her work explores how reporting practices and governance mechanisms influence accountability and transparency in business practices. With more than ten peer-reviewed journal publications and numerous conference presentations, Dr. Mahmoudian’s research significantly contributes to advancing sustainable accounting practices and executive governance models.
Research Projects
Dr. Fereshteh Mahmoudian’s research projects explore the integration of sustainability reporting, corporate governance, and executive decision-making. Her funded work includes a SSHRC Insight Development Grant on the intersection of executive personality and CSR, and multiple CGA and CAEF-supported studies examining internal controls, board diversity, and CEO compensation as factors in sustainability performance. Her research aims to improve transparency and accountability in corporate environments.
Awards & Recognition
Dr. Mahmoudian has received numerous prestigious awards and research grants in recognition of her contributions to accounting and sustainability scholarship. She has been awarded grants from organizations such as SSHRC, CGA, and the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation of Alberta. Her work has been acknowledged through prizes including the Lazaridis Institute Prize by the Canadian Academic Accounting Association and multiple doctoral scholarships. She was also featured by Simon Fraser University for her research impact in carbon management accounting and stakeholder arrangements.
Publications
Stakeholder relationships, engagement, and sustainability reporting
Authors: IM Herremans, JA Nazari, F Mahmoudian
Journal: Journal of Business Ethics
Assessing social and environmental performance through narrative complexity in CSR reports
Authors: JA Nazari, K Hrazdil, F Mahmoudian
Journal: Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics
Executive personality and sustainability: Do extraverted chief executive officers improve corporate social responsibility?
Authors: K Hrazdil, F Mahmoudian, JA Nazari
Journal: Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
Inter-and intra-organizational stakeholder arrangements in carbon management accounting
Authors: F Mahmoudian, J Lu, D Yu, JA Nazari, IM Herremans
Journal: The British Accounting Review
Board interlocks, absorptive capacity, and environmental performance
Authors: J Lu, F Mahmoudian, D Yu, JA Nazari, IM Herremans
Journal: Business Strategy and the Environment
Board interlocks and greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: J Lu, D Yu, F Mahmoudian, JA Nazari, IM Herremans
Journal: Business Strategy and the Environment
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