Essays on CEO Attributes and Corporate Behavior PHAMVU DIEM HANG 2019 This thesis examines whether, and to what extent, executives’ attributes affect corporate outcomes. The thesis consists of three empirical chapters with the first essay focusing on how the changes in CEO status affect corporate innovation outcomes and the remaining two essays focusing on how the legal expertise of executives impacts financial market quality and credit risk assessment. The thesis has several implications for investors, credit rating agencies, and other firm stakeholders.