Grant Clayton
“Grant provides the top-notch graduate-level classroom experience that one would expect from Washington University. He combines industry knowledge, an extensive understanding of formulas and theory, and great real-world examples of class material that make class interesting and engaging. Grant priorities respectfulness and openness during class conversations, ensuring that all students, regardless of their starting point, feel empowered to participate and better understand the material.” Conor Reynolds, PMBA 54
Get to know Grant!
I joined Olin in Summer 2023 as a lecturer in finance. I teach the required core finance course for a variety of students: MBA, PMBA, OMBA, and undergraduate. Before coming to Olin, I was on faculty at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY.
You may hear a few “y’alls” from me, as I am originally from Texas. Born out in the cotton-growing areas near Lubbock, I grew up in Dallas. I went to Southern Methodist University and majored in finance, mathematics, and history.
After undergraduate, I worked in financial consulting for Duff & Phelps in the energy and mining industries in Dallas. My work involved valuation for mergers and acquisitions up until the 2008 Financial Crisis. In the fallout from the market crash, I moved into litigation consulting, working on valuations of firms going through lawsuits involving bankruptcy and disputed acquisitions.
That was my first exposure to finance academia, as I was working to support and critique valuations by expert witnesses, who often were finance and economics professors. I was immediately fascinated by the complexity and importance of valuation. In the litigation environment, every input and assumption is scrutinized and has to be justified with data and economic arguments. It was also an introduction to teaching in a unique way: in preparing trial exhibits, we had to explain complicated financial models to juries and judges.
After becoming a CFA Charterholder during my time in industry, I then went to graduate school. First, I earned a master’s degree in mathematics at Texas A&M University, followed by a PhD in finance at Northwestern University. My specific research interest is in empirical corporate finance, that is, studying how firms choose and fund their investments.
Teaching is my passion, and I especially love teaching the foundational course in finance. With each new semester, I’m always experimenting, trying to make some concept clearer and easier to understand than last semester. For finance majors, my goal is to prepare them for more advanced coursework and jobs. For those who will not major in or work in finance, my goal is to give them a solid understanding, so that they can effectively communicate and manage financial challenges in their professional and personal lives.
Outside of work, I love exploring St. Louis with my family. My wife, Caroline, and I have a growing family of two boys: Walt, who is two years old, and Lewis, who just arrived in April 2024. We love all that St. Louis has to offer, from the Botanical Garden to the Magic House. My personal hobbies include video games and chess, and—true to my Texas roots—I love doing barbecue with my smoker and grill. I’m also a huge dog person, and we are always running to keep up with our golden retriever, Brinkley.
“Having recently wrapped up his course, my experience was very positive. I appreciated that during class, he was able to both “slow it down” for anyone less familiar with a concept while being able to get in-depth for those who already had a working knowledge and wanted to take it to the next level. I also really enjoyed the format of his class, where we focused on conceptual learning up front & over the course, transitioned towards putting those concepts into practice. Regardless of your familiarity with the topic, I’d recommend taking a course with Grant.”
Taylor Walton, PMBA 54