Professor Fred Olayele

Chairman of the Board, Economic Club of Africa in New York

Prof. Fred Olayele is Chairman and Senior Partner with EIPG Development Partners, a boutique economic development advisory firm. A seasoned global economist and public policy leader, his diverse career spans academia, government, finance, and international development.

His expertise covers trade policy, innovation, FDI, urban policy, political economy, and inclusive development. He has held academic positions and taught courses in economics, strategic management, and public policy across four Canadian universities. He has served as a visiting professor and guest speaker across universities and academic institutions abroad. He has consulted widely and advised several public, private, and development institutions internationally.

He previously served as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he oversaw a wide range of economic policy initiatives. Prior to that, he 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.

He lectures internationally and writes on global development and related subjects. He holds a PhD in Economics from Lancaster University, United Kingdom and an MA in Economics from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Prof. Olayele serves on various non-profit boards and supports many social causes. Among others, he is a Senior Fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Canada. He sits on the International Advisory Board of the International Economic Development Council in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell University, New York.