Professor Fred Olayele’s research and practice focus on 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. A distinguished economist and public policy expert, he has consulted widely and advised many public and private organizations in Canada, United States, and Africa.
He has held academic positions and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in corporate strategy, international business, public policy, and applied economics at the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University and the Department of Economics, University of Regina, Canada. He has served as a visiting professor and guest speaker across universities and academic institutions abroad. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Trade and Development at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain. He was a Visiting Scholar at the World Trade Institute in Bern, Switzerland.
Prior to academia, Dr. Olayele held several economic policy positions and advised the Canadian provincial governments of British Columbia and Saskatchewan in the FDI, economic development, and energy policy domains. Earlier in his career, he was a global trade finance specialist with Citigroup.
He earned his PhD in Economics from Lancaster University, United Kingdom; his MA in Economics from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada; and a BSc in Economics (with First Class Honors) from the University of Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria, where he was awarded the university prize for the best overall performance.
As Chief Economist with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, his work cuts across the public, private, philanthropic, and academic sectors. He is President, Economic Innovation Institute for Africa; Director, Centre for African Research and Business, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University; Board Chair with the Economic Club for Africa in New York; and International Advisory Board Member with the International Economic Development Council in Washington, D.C.
A public intellectual and results-oriented leader, Dr. Olayele serves on various non-profit boards and supports many social causes. Detailed information on his research, practice, teaching, policy engagements, and leadership initiatives is available on his personal website: http://fredolayele.com/