Ben McQuillin is a Lecturer in Economics. He holds degrees of BA Hons (Cantab), MA (UEA) and D.Phil (UEA).

Ben's first career was in finance. As a student intern at Bankers Trust (Tokyo) in the late 1980s, Ben invented the 'Asian option', which is sometimes viewed as the product that led to the term 'exotic' being applied to financial instruments. Upon graduating from Cambridge, Ben joined the newly formed Credit Suisse Financial Products, becoming a vice-president.

Ben subsequently returned to academic study, and since completing his PhD ('A value for n-person games in partition function form') has remained at UEA, as a Senior Research Associate (2006 - 9) and as a Lecturer in Economics (2009 - present). His research interests are primarily in the fields of social choice theory, normative economics and cooperative game theory, with an interest also in the economics of science. His publications include papers in Econometrica, Economic Journal, Games and Economic Behavior, Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of Human Resources, and Social Choice and Welfare. 

Ben's teaching interests span microeconomics more generally. In 2006 Ben was awarded a Commendation for teaching (in the student-nominated award category) by the HEA Economics Network.

PhD Supervision Interests

Ben has research interests, and is willing to supervise PhD students, in game theory, social choice theory and normative microeconomics. He is particularly interested in research ideas that use cooperative game theory and/or lie close to the frontiers between economics, political science and social philosophy.

Ben's main research interests lie in game theory, social choice theory and normative microeconomics.  In particular, he uses non-cooperative, cooperative, and experimental game theory to explore expected and rightful outcomes in situations - such as international agreements, and also company mergers and acquisitions - where formal commitments to cooperate induce both surpluses and externalities. In addition, he has interests in the formal representation of rights, the problem of reconciling normative economics with behavioural economics, and the economics of scientific and academic endeavour.

Game Theory; Social Choice Theory; Normative Microeconomics; Economics of Science