Undoubtedly, pursuing a Ph.D. demands a lot of oneself. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that this journey would have fallen short without the exceptional generosity of numerous significant individuals. This acknowledgment section, perhaps the most challenging to write, seeks to express my deep gratitude for their invaluable contributions. I will address a few of them individually, and to them, I extend my most sincere gratitude. I would also like to express appreciation to all others who have made this journey possible by offering their support, and encouragement, providing feedback on my work, and sharing their valuable thoughts and ideas. Although I may never reciprocate their kindness directly, I hope to replicate their generosity with others if that opportunity comes my way.First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my advisor Prof. Christian Eufinger for his faith in me, with continuous advice and committed encouragement, together with an honest joy for my accomplishments. His guidance and mentorship have provided me with invaluable lessons and insights.I want to thank all members of the Finance department at IESE. In particular, Prof.Stefano Sacchetto, who has always been vastly supportive and reliable, and Prof. Valentina Raponi, who encouraged me to visit Imperial. Also, to Prof. Mireia Giné and Prof.Miguel Antón, who first gave me this opportunity, and have always motivated me since then. I would also like to thank Prof. José Azar, who has always been receptive and uplifting with my thoughts and ideas, and Prof. Vives, whose classes have been of great inspiration.