Nate Y. Sharp

Dean of Mays Business School; Professor and Adam C. Sinn '00 Dean's Leadership Chair; Presidential Impact Fellow
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Biography

Nate Sharp serves as the dean of Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, where he is leading the school through a period of historic growth and innovation. A member of the faculty at Mays since 2007, he began his service as dean on February 1, 2023. He previously served as head of the James Benjamin Department of Accounting at Mays, where he worked to strengthen one of the premier accounting programs in the nation.

Dr. Sharp aspires to position Mays as the preeminent public business school in America through fearless innovation, industry collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to the school’s vision, mission, and values. Under his leadership, Mays has embraced artificial intelligence; launched exciting new degree programs including the Mays Flex Online suite of master’s programs and the Anthony Bahr ’91 Engineering MBA Program; enhanced and expanded the Aggie Real Estate Program; launched the Aggies in Consulting and Aggies in Private Equity programs; completed an undergraduate curriculum redesign initiative; launched a new leadership institute at Mays (Flippen Leadership Institute); and launched the new Center for Applied Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Mays, which is revitalizing entrepreneurship and innovation at Mays and expanding opportunities for our students.

His tenure has been marked by record-setting fundraising at Mays with more than $100 million raised in his first three years, the opening of the first new building at Mays in more than three decades (Wayne Roberts ’85 Building), expansion into the Metroplex with a Mays presence at Texas A&M Fort Worth, and the launch of an ambitious graduate facility project slated for completion in early 2029 in College Station. Just as importantly, he has prioritized investment in faculty and staff, building strong teams and fostering a culture of recognizing and rewarding excellence in research, teaching, and service. He has led initiatives to enhance compensation, expand research funding, and improve transparency in decision-making. Dr. Sharp is committed to the mission of developing leaders of character who make a positive difference for Texas, the nation, and the world.

Dr. Sharp is a respected scholar in the area of financial reporting. His research has received multiple best-paper awards, including the American Accounting Association’s 2021 Distinguished Contributions to the Accounting Literature Award. His research has also been discussed in major financial media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNBC, Forbes, CFO.com, and the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation. He is an award-winning teacher, with recognition that includes the 2015 Association of Former Students Distinguished Teaching Award and the 2012 Ernst & Young Teaching Excellence Award. He was named a Texas A&M University Presidential Impact Fellow in 2018. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business before receiving a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. He believes the future of business education belongs to leaders who embrace change, take risks, and stay true to their institution’s values. He is committed to ensuring Mays will lead the way with both courage and purpose.

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2007
  • M.Acc., Brigham Young University, 2002
  • B.S., cum laude, Brigham Young University, 2002

Publications

What Do Public Company Audit Clients Want from Their Auditor?
Christensen, B., M. Ege, N. Sharp, and J. Wilks. (2026), “What Do Public Company Audit Clients Want from Their Auditor?” Review of Accounting Studies, 31 (2): 1403-1438.
Managers’ Use of Humor on Public Earnings Conference Calls
Call, A., R. Flam, J. Lee, and N. Sharp (2024), “Managers’ Use of Humor on Public Earnings Conference Calls,” Review of Accounting Studies,  29 (3): 2650-2687.
Ethnic Minority Analysts’ Participation in Public Earnings Conference Call
Flam, R., J. Green, J. Lee, and N. Sharp (2024), “Ethnic Minority Analysts’ Participation in Public Earnings Conference Calls,” Journal of Accounting Research, 61 (5): 1591-1631.
Meet the Press: Survey Evidence on Financial Journalists as Information Intermediaries
Call, A., S. Emett, E. Maksymov, and N. Sharp (2022), "Meet the Press: Survey Evidence on Financial Journalists as Information Intermediaries," Journal of Accounting and Economics, 73 (2-3): 1-19.
Which Buy-Side Institutions Participate in Public Earnings Conference Calls? Implications for Capital Markets and Sell-Side Coverage
Call, A., N. Sharp, and T. Shohfi (2021), “Which Buy-Side Institutions Participate in Public Earnings Conference Calls? Implications for Capital Markets and Sell-Side Coverage,” Journal of Corporate Finance, 68: 1-24.
Changes in Analysts’ Stock Recommendations Following Regulatory Action Against Their Brokerage
Call, A., N. Sharp, and P. Wong (2019), “Changes in Analysts’ Stock Recommendations Following Regulatory Action Against Their Brokerage,” Review of Accounting Studies, 24 (4): 1184-1213.
Managing the Narrative: Investor Relations Officers and Corporate Disclosure
Brown, L., A. Call, M. Clement, and N. Sharp (2019), “Managing the Narrative: Investor Relations Officers and Corporate Disclosure,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, 67 (1): 58-79.
Saving Face: How Exit in Response to Negative Press and Star Analyst Downgrades Reflects Reputation Maintenance by Directors
Harrison, J., S. Boivie, N. Sharp, and R. Gentry (2018), “Saving Face: How Exit in Response to Negative Press and Star Analyst Downgrades Reflects Reputation Maintenance by Directors,” Academy of Management Journal, 61 (3): 1131-1157.
Whistleblowers and Outcomes of Financial Misrepresentation Enforcement Actions
Call, A., J. Martin, N. Sharp, and J. Wilde (2018), “Whistleblowers and Outcomes of Financial Misrepresentation Enforcement Actions,” Journal of Accounting Research, 56 (1): 123-171.
Working on the Weekend: Do Analysts Strategically Time the Release of Their Recommendation Revisions?
Rees, L., N. Sharp, and P. Wong (2017), “Working on the Weekend: Do Analysts Strategically Time the Release of Their Recommendation Revisions?” Journal of Corporate Finance, 45: 104-121.
The Activities of Buy-Side Analysts and the Determinants of Their Stock Recommendations
Brown, L., A. Call, M. Clement, and N. Sharp (2016), “The Activities of Buy-Side Analysts and the Determinants of Their Stock Recommendations,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, 62 (1): 139-156.
Inside the ‘Black Box’ of Sell-Side Financial Analysts
Brown, L., A. Call, M. Clement, and N. Sharp (2015), “Inside the ‘Black Box’ of Sell-Side Financial Analysts,” Journal of Accounting Research, 53 (1): 1-47. • 2018 American Accounting Association FARS Best Paper • 2021 American Accounting Association Distinguished Contributions to the Accounting Literature
Who’s Heard on the Street? Determinants and Consequences of Financial Analyst Coverage in the Business Press
Rees., L., N. Sharp, and B. Twedt (2015), “Who’s Heard on the Street? Determinants and Consequences of Financial Analyst Coverage in the Business Press,” Review of Accounting Studies, 20 (1): 173-209.
Rotational Internal Audit Programs and Financial Reporting Quality: Do Compensating Controls Help?
Christ, M., A. Masli, N. Sharp, and D. Wood (2015), “Rotational Internal Audit Programs and Financial Reporting Quality: Do Compensating Controls Help?” Accounting, Organizations and Society, 44 (1): 37-59.
Business Strategy, Financial Reporting Irregularities, and Audit Effort
Bentley, K., T. Omer, and N. Sharp (2013), “Business Strategy, Financial Reporting Irregularities, and Audit Effort,” Contemporary Accounting Research, 30 (2): 780-817.
Using Earnings Conference Calls to Identify Analysts with Superior Private Information
Mayew, W., N. Sharp, and M. Venkatachalam (2013), “Using Earnings Conference Calls to Identify Analysts with Superior Private Information,” Review of Accounting Studies, 18 (2): 386-413.
The Impact of Religion on Financial Reporting Irregularities
McGuire, S., N. Sharp, and T. Omer (2012), “The Impact of Religion on Financial Reporting Irregularities,” The Accounting Review, 87 (2): 645-673.
Internal Audit Outsourcing and the Risk of Misleading or Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Did Sarbanes-Oxley Get It Wrong?
Prawitt, D., N. Sharp, and D. Wood (2012), “Internal Audit Outsourcing and the Risk of Misleading or Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Did Sarbanes-Oxley Get It Wrong?” Contemporary Accounting Research, 29 (4): 1109-1136.

Research Interests

Financial reporting

Sell-side and buy-side financial analysts

Financial journalism

Financial misconduct

Investor relations

Disclosure