Finnish economist Bengt Holmström and his American colleague Oliver Hart have received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for their work on contract theory.
Bengt Holmström, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Helsinki in 1972, with a major in mathematics. Holmström’s minor subjects were physics, theoretical physics and statistics.
The Alumni Association of the University of Helsinki elected Bengt Holmström Alumnus of the Year in 2010.
When receiving this acknowledgement, Holmström described his identity as an alumnus as characterised by gratitude for the inspiring teaching he received, which has had a significant impact on his life choices.
Every year, the Alumni Association of the University of Helsinki grants the title of Alumnus or Alumna of the Year to a person who has supported and promoted the academic reputation of his or her field through action and example.