Professor Karim Sorour

Professor

School: Newcastle Business School

Karim is Professor of Accounting and Corporate Governance at Newcastle Business School and Vice President and President-Elect of the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA), where he also serves as an Executive Trustee. He has an established international profile in corporate governance, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and the role of business in society, with particular expertise in emerging and developing economies. His research also encompasses qualitative research methodologies and their application across accounting and business disciplines.

Karim has published extensively in leading international journals, including The British Accounting Review, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Journal of Business Ethics, Business & Society, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. His books include research monographs published by Palgrave Macmillan, including a monograph on corporate governance in Africa. He has also held editorial roles with international journals in accounting, corporate governance and emerging economies. He is currently Lead Editor of the Edward Elgar Companion on Corporate Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals.

His research portfolio combines funded research, international collaboration, and policy and practice engagement. Recent awards include two British Council-funded projects addressing women’s financial inclusion and the design of inclusive transnational education programmes. He has also recently been awarded a British Academy-funded project: How Professional Virtues Shape Accountants’ Sustainability Sense-Making.

Karim has a particular interest in translating research into impact through collaboration with regulators, professional bodies, businesses and policymakers. He has led and contributed to more than 30 consultancy and contract research projects and has worked directly with senior executives, boards and government organisations to inform developments in corporate governance, sustainability and responsible business practices. He currently advises regulators, professional accounting organisations and financial institutions on sustainability governance reforms. He has practical boardroom experience, having served as a Trustee and Non-Executive Director

Karim has extensive academic leadership experience within Newcastle Business School, having served in roles including Acting Head of Department, Deputy Head of Department and Head of Accounting Subject. He currently leads school-wide work to strengthen research impact culture and capability, supporting academics in developing pathways from research to changes in policy, professional practice and organisations.

Karim also has extensive experience in executive and professional education. He has designed and delivered professional masterclasses, short courses and academic programmes in accounting, corporate governance and sustainability at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive levels. He is frequently invited to deliver keynote addresses at international academic conferences and professional forums, particularly on responsible business, corporate governance and sustainability.

Karim is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA, USA) and holds a PhD in Corporate Governance.

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Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Corporate Governance; CSR; Management Accounting; Social Media Governance

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Subverting bank corporate governance: A tale of an interplay between sociocultural legacies and neo-patrimonialism in a developing country, Ekanayake, N., Sorour, M., Soobaroyen, T. 1 Jul 2026, In: The British Accounting Review
Exploring the Evolving Motives Underlying Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosures in Developing Countries: The Case of ‘Political CSR’ Reporting, Sorour, K., Shrives, P., El Sakhawy, A., Soobaroyen, T. 7 Jun 2021, In: Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal
The role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organisational Identity Communication, Co-Creation and Orientation, Sorour, K., Boadou, M., Soobaroyen, T. 1 Sep 2021, In: Journal of Business Ethics
Institutional theory and Evolution of 'A Legitimate' compliance culture: the case of the UK financial service sector, Mason Burdon, W., Sorour, M. 1 Feb 2020, In: Journal of Business Ethics
Integration v. polarisation among social media users: Perspectives through social capital theory on the recent Egyptian political landscape: Perspectives through Social Capital Theory on The Recent Egyptian Political Landscape, Ali, M., Azab, N., Sorour, K., Dora, M. 1 Aug 2019, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Examining the link between religion and corporate governance: insights from Nigeria, Nakpodia, F., Shrives, P., Sorour, K. 22 Jan 2018, In: Business & Society
Panic buying and fake news in urban vs. rural England: A case study of twitter during COVID-19, Ali, M., Gomes, L., Azab, N., Souza, J., Sorour, K., Kimura, H. 1 Aug 2023, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Corporate Governance in Africa: Assessing Implementation and Ethical Perspectives, Howell, K., Sorour, K. 9 May 2016
On The Evolution of Corporate Governance Culture in Africa: The case of the Egyptian Banking Sector, Sorour, K., Sakhaway, A. 9 May 2016, Corporate Governance in Africa: Assessing Implementation and Ethical Perspectives, Basingstoke, Macmillan
The impact of M&A on the Nigerian financial market : A pre-post analysis, Abdou, H., Agbeyo, O., Jones, K., Sorour, K. 8 Apr 2016, In: Investment Management and Financial Innovations

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: 26th Workshop on Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies-Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham 2024
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: 25th Workshop on Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies- University of Economics in Katowice, Poland 2024
Organising a conference, workshop, ...: British Accounting & Finance Association (BAFA) 18th Workshop on Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies 2018
Consultancy: Feasibility Study – $700M Container Terminal Investment-Evaluated establishing a new container terminal in East Port Said Port by a national consortium. (Principal Investigator, 2012) 2012
Consultancy: Operational & Financial Analysis of Egyptian Public Bus Companies- Assessed performance and sustainability of state-owned land transport companies. (Principal Investigator, 2011) 2011
Consultancy: Pre-Feasibility Studies for Container Quays in Port Said- Assessed the viability of new quay developments at East and West Port Said to enhance handling capacity. (Principal Investigator, 2009) 2009
Consultancy: Development of Expansion Plan for Damietta National Container Terminal to accommodate 6th Generation Container Ships. (Co-Investigator, 2008) 2008
Consultancy: Egyptian Ports’ Competitiveness Enhancement-Developed strategies to increase efficiency in Egyptian ports using managerial accounting concepts. (Principal Investigator, 2008) 2008
Consultancy: Designing a Balanced Scorecard for Port Sudan Port Authority- Implemented strategic performance measurement frameworks. (Principal Investigator, 2007) 2007
Consultancy: Developing Managerial Accounting Units for Port-Sudan Port Authority-Established data-driven financial decision-making tools. (Principal Investigator, 2006) 2006

PGR Supervision

Rebecca Prestwood Accountants and sustainability in regions of different climate-related risk Start Date: 21/01/2025 End Date: 17/10/2025
Rebecca Prestwood Accountants and sustainability in regions of different climate-related risk Start Date: 21/01/2025
Rebecca Prestwood Accountants and sustainability in regions of different climate-related risk Start Date: 21/01/2025 End Date: 16/01/2026

Qualifications