A Memorial Symposium in Honour of Patrick Behr

A memorial symposium dedicated to Dr Patrick Behr (1974–2025) took place on 13 February 2026 at Goethe University Frankfurt (Campus Westend). The event, organised by his colleague Prof. Eric Nowak, Director of the Institute of Finance at Università della Svizzera italiana in collaboration with Prof. Thorsten Beck (European University Institute), Prof. Dr. André Güttler (Ulm University), Prof. Dr. Mark Wahrenburg (Goethe University Frankfurt) brought together leading scholars and colleagues to reflect on Behr's academic contributions and his impact as a researcher, mentor and collaborator.

The programme featured academic presentations on topics close to his research interests—such as small business finance, climate and geopolitical risks, and green energy financing—as well as personal reflections on his role as a colleague and mentor. Prof. Eric Nowak opened the academic session with a tribute to Behr's scholarly work and closed the symposium with a commemorative presentation dedicated to his life and career.

Patrick Behr passed away on 10 November 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Born on 7 August 1974 in Hanau, Germany, he was a respected scholar and valued member of the USI community. He joined USI in the fall of 2003 as a personal assistant to Prof. Eric Nowak, followed by serving as a visiting lecturer at the University since 2006. Over nearly two decades, he contributed significantly to the development of USI Institute of Finance and, most recently as a SIX Foundation Research Fellow, played a key role in advancing research.

Together with Prof. Nowak, he co-founded the Center of Climate Finance and Sustainability (CCFS), which has become an important hub for research on carbon finance and environmental sustainability. His recent publications in the Review of Finance and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis testify to his continued academic engagement and his growing focus on climate-related financial topics. Throughout an international career spanning appointments in Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Boston and Philadelphia, Behr made lasting contributions to the fields of banking, microfinance and climate finance.

The symposium in Frankfurt offered an opportunity for the academic community to honour his intellectual legacy and the many collaborations he fostered across institutions and countries.

The full programme of the Memorial can be found in the attachment.