Dr. Ali Yavuz Polat

GRM 2026 Workshop: Rational Agency and Uncertain Futures: AI’s Role in the Gulf Region

Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST) Financial economics, uncertainty, and sustainability, with applications to the GCC region, fintech, energy markets, and corporate finance. Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST)

Dr. Ali Yavuz Polat is Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST), Kuwait, where he also serves on the Steering Committee of the Center for Sustainable Development. He holds a PhD in Financial Economics from the University of Leicester, and master’s degrees in Economics from Johns Hopkins University and Boğaziçi University. His research lies at the intersection of financial economics, uncertainty, and sustainability, with applications to the GCC region, fintech, energy markets, and corporate finance. Dr. Polat has published extensively in peer-reviewed outlets such as the Journal of Economic Studies, Financial Innovation, Scottish Journal of Political Economy, and Borsa Istanbul Review. He has led and collaborated on major funded projects, including TÜBİTAK-supported studies on COVID-19’s economic effects and climate policy uncertainty in financial markets. As Principal Investigator, he is currently directing a project on climate risks and MENA financial markets. He is a frequent speaker at international forums, including the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting and Derasat Forum in Bahrain, addressing global challenges to green recovery and climate policy.