Prof. Fred Olayele is a seasoned economist, global finance and development executive, university professor, and innovation strategy leader with a diverse career focused on global business, finance, public policy, economic development, and academia. 

He previously served as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he helped position New York as a global model for innovation. Prior to that, he advised the Canadian provincial governments of British Columbia and Saskatchewan on foreign direct investment and economic development. Earlier in his career before joining academia, he was a global trade finance specialist with Citigroup.

A global trade and innovation leader, he serves on various boards and supports many social causes. He sits on the Academic Advisory Board of the Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell University in New York, and the International Advisory Board of the International Economic Development Council in Washington, DC. He chairs the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Africa Network. He holds a PhD in Economics from Lancaster University, United Kingdom, and an MA in Economics from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.

Prof. Olayele speaks and lectures internationally on innovation, finance, public policy, and development. He hosts the Global Recast podcast — a series of conversations with global leaders on grit, courage, and economic optimism in a fractured world. He is a member of the Economic Club of New York.