Dr. Fred Olayele’s diverse career spans academia, government, finance, and international development. A distinguished economist and public policy expert, his research interests and practice areas cover trade policy, innovation, FDI, urban policy, political economy, and inclusive development. He has published and shared best practices in these areas at numerous conferences and institutions around the world. He has consulted widely and advised many public and private organizations in Canada, United States, and Africa.

Professor Olayele has held academic positions and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in economics, strategy, and public policy at the University of Regina and Carleton University – both in Canada. He has served as a visiting professor and guest speaker across universities and academic institutions abroad. He was a Visiting Scholar at the World Trade Institute in Bern, Switzerland, and a Visiting Professor of Trade and Development at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

Previously, he served as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he oversaw a wide range of economic research and policy initiatives aimed at making New York the global model for inclusive growth and innovation – with collaborations across the public, private, philanthropic, and academic sectors. Prior to that, he held several economic policy positions and advised the Canadian provincial governments of British Columbia and Saskatchewan across the FDI, economic development, and energy policy domains. Earlier in his career, he was a global trade finance specialist with Citigroup.

A passionate teacher and public intellectual, Dr. Olayele serves on various non-profit boards and supports many social causes. He is Director-General, Pan-African School of Policy Innovation; Board Chair, Economic Club of Africa in New York; Director, Sprott Centre for African Research and Business, Carleton University; and President, Economic Innovation Institute for Africa.

He holds membership in the prestigious Economic Club of New York, and serves as International Advisory Board Member with Washington, D.C.-based International Economic Development Council. He is the host of the podcast, Inclusive Economics for Impact.

His most recent and forthcoming books include Sustainable Development in Post-Pandemic Africa: Effective Strategies for Resource Mobilization (Routledge); Regional Economic Systems after COVID-19: Actionable Insights for an Equitable and Resilient Recovery (Edward Elgar Publishing); and African Policy Innovation and the Political Economy of Public-Private Policy Partnerships (IGI Global).

Professor Olayele earned his PhD in Economics from Lancaster University, United Kingdom, and his MA in Economics from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. More information on his research, practice, teaching, and policy engagements is available on his personal website: www.fredolayele.com.