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Gender and the economy will be the focus of a new research institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

The Institute for Gender + the Economy will work to uncover business, career and investment opportunities in finance, management, entrepreneurship and the economy by promoting gender analysis in research and education, under the direction of Sarah Kaplan, the Distinguished Professor of Gender & the Economy and Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School. 

“There are still many unanswered questions about the causes and consequences of gender dynamics in the economy. The research agenda will look at understanding these questions using rigorous scholarly research but it will also identify practical solutions which can be beneficial to business and society,” says Kaplan.

Kaplan's research explores how organizations participate in and respond to the emergence of new fields and technologies, with a particular focus on the role of interpretive practices. Her studies examine biotechnology, communications, financial services, nanotechnology and most recently, the field emerging at the nexus of gender and finance. She is the author of the best-selling book, Creative Destruction, regularly publishes in the leading academic journals and is a frequent public speaker and contributor to the media including Quartz, TVO and The Toronto Star.  

Read more about Sarah Kaplan's research and teaching

Vanessa Iarocci has also joined the Rotman School as an Executive-in-Residence and will be working closely with Prof. Kaplan at the Institute. She has previously spent close to two decades in progressively senior roles spanning corporate finance, strategy and operations at PwC and TD Bank. As a member of TD Wealth’s Leadership team, she worked alongside global experts, including the University of Toronto and The Sauder Business Families Centre, on a bank-wide initiative to position TD as the leading personal finance destination for women. Iarocci holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto and a Chartered Accountant designation. She is active in the community and participates in a number of organizations that support the advancement of women and girls.

A primary focus of the Institute will be to translate scholarly research for practitioners in order to support change in their practices. The Institute will also engage students in the School’s degree programs through research projects, curriculum development, and internship opportunities. The work of the Institute will be conducted in close collaboration with corporate, governmental and NGO partners.

For further information on the Institute, including upcoming events and new research, please visit .