Onassis Prizes 2023 laureates announced

Jointly awarded every three years by the Onassis Foundation and Bayes Business School and its Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance, the Onassis Prizes 2023 have been awarded to Professor Darrell Duffie, Professor Marc Melitz, and Professor Siri Pettersen Strandenes for their research and achievements in the fields of Finance, International Trade and Shipping respectively.

• Professor Darrell Duffie, Stanford University, Onassis Prize 2023 in Finance
• Professor Marc Melitz, Harvard University, Onassis Prize 2023 in International Trade
• Professor Siri Pettersen Strandenes, Norwegian School of Economics, Onassis Prize 2023 in Shipping

Judged by a panel of esteemed academics from around the world – which includes two Nobel Laureates – the Onassis Prizes recognise outstanding individuals and organisations across the fields of Finance, International Trade, and Shipping. They aim to advance understanding and research in these fields with a view to combatting the most pressing challenges we continue to encounter as a society.

Established in 1978 by Aristotle Onassis's hand-written will, the Onassis Prizes have a proud history strengthened by decades of passion, thought, and rigour. The Prizes – which each feature a $200,000 grant – are awarded in the aforementioned sectors as they are the areas in which Aristotle himself achieved international renown during his lifetime.

Dr Anthony Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation and Chair of the Onassis Prizes judging panel, said: “I would like to profoundly congratulate the winners of this year's Onassis Prizes. These Prizes are a celebration of the visionaries who continue to shape and transform our world for the better through their hard work and pursuit of excellence. Our laureates this year truly embody this philosophy. We are proud to be working with Bayes Business School once again to recognise our laureates and honour their groundbreaking academic contributions to the spheres of Finance, International Trade and Shipping. Now more so than ever, it’s essential we focus on the importance of education and academia in order to combat the world’s most acute challenges.”

Professor Darrell Duffie, Winner of the Onassis Prize 2023 in Finance, said: “I am honoured to be one of this year’s laureates for the esteemed Onassis Prize in Finance. The Onassis Prizes aim to inspire future progress and I hope that fellow academics in the field will be inspired to create solutions to help tackle the most pressing challenges we continue to face.”

Professor Marc Melitz, Winner of the Onassis Prize 2023 in International Trade, said: “It’s a huge privilege to receive this award, especially alongside such decorated colleagues. The Onassis Prizes boast such a rich history, strengthened by decades of research and rigour, and it’s a pleasure to accept such a distinguished award."

Professor Siri Pettersen Strandenes, Winner of the Onassis Prize 2023 in Shipping, said: “It is a great honour to accept this year’s Onassis Prize in Shipping. Throughout my career, I have been committed to positively impacting the world through my work in the field of shipping and I hope I can inspire the next generation of smart, talented young women to strive for excellence in their respective fields. This is a very special moment for me."

The Onassis Prizes 2023 will be awarded to all laureates at The Guildhall in London on Tuesday 7 November. The event is sponsored by the Onassis Foundation, and it will welcome 350 guests from over 20 countries.

Winners of the Onassis Prizes 2018 include Professor Douglas W. Diamond (Finance), Professor Jonathan Eaton and Professor Samuel S. Kortum (International Trade – shared), Professor Mary R. Brooks and Professor Wayne K. Talley (Shipping – shared). While there is no obligation on how to spend the money, previous winners have donated their portion of the grant into student funding, such as The Dr. Mary R. Brooks Bachelor of Commerce Award at Dalhousie University.