Dr. Cynthia Melhem

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor
cynthia.melhem@lau.edu.lb
Ext. 3783
Frem Civic Center 306
LAU Byblos

View CV

Biography

Dr. Cynthia Melhem is an assistant professor of accounting at the Adnan Kassar School of Business at the Lebanese American University. She holds a PhD in accounting from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, as well as an MBA and a BS in banking and finance from the Lebanese American University.

She is the recipient of the Joe Kelly Graduate Award from Concordia University, granted annually to one outstanding PhD graduate for exceptional thesis merit. Her research focuses on how companies communicate financial and non-financial information to stakeholders. She applies textual analysis and data analytics techniques to improve transparency in corporate disclosure.

Dr. Melhem has presented her research at major international academic conferences, such as the Canadian Academic Accounting Association, and to accounting standard setters, including the Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) in Canada and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

Before joining academia, she worked as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Updated Research and Teaching Interests

Teaching Interests

• Financial accounting
• Managerial accounting
• Financial statement analysis

Research Interests

• Corporate disclosure
• Financial reporting
• Corporate governance
• Textual analysis
• Data analytics

Publications

Jizi, M., Nehme, R., & Melhem, C. (2022). Board gender diversity and firms’ social engagement in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 41(2), 186–206. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-02-2021-0041

Selected Conference Presentations

Melhem, C., Magnan, M., & Moldovan, R. (2025). Human Capital Disclosure and Analyst Forecasts. Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) Joint User Advisory Committee and Academic Advisory Committee Conference, CPA Canada, Toronto, Canada.

Melhem, C., Magnan, M., & Moldovan, R. (2025). Human Resources Governance and Human Capital Management Disclosure Following the SEC Mandate. Canadian Academic Accounting Association Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada.

Melhem, C., Magnan, M., & Moldovan, R. (2025). Rhetoric or Real Commitment? The Role of Human Resources Governance on Human Capital Management Disclosure. Accounting Perspectives Emerging Scholars Virtual Symposium.