Background
Professor Fred Olayele is a strategic global advisor and visionary leader driving impact at the intersection of public policy, markets, and social innovation. A seasoned economist, university professor, development executive, and innovation strategy leader with a diverse career focused on global finance, public policy, economic development, and academia — he is a trusted executive advisor and board member to several mission-driven organizations.
He previously served as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) — where he oversaw a wide range of initiatives and provided executive leadership to help position New York as a global model for innovation. Prior to NYCEDC, he advised the Canadian provincial governments of British Columbia and Saskatchewan across the FDI, economic development, and energy policy domains. Earlier in his career before joining academia, he was a global trade finance specialist with Citigroup.
ACADEMIC PROFILE
Prof. Olayele has held academic positions and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in economics, strategic management, public policy, venture capital, and the finance of innovation across four Canadian universities: University of Regina, Mount Allison University, Carleton University, and Crandall University.
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.
He teaches management and economics at the Graduate School of Management, Crandall University.
EXECUTIVE, BOARD & ADVISORY ROLES
A 2026 Global Leadership Fellow at Cornell University, he serves on various boards and supports many social causes.
A Senior Fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, 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.
Dr. Olayele chairs the Governing Board of Blue Global Canada Institute and the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Africa Network. He also sits on the Board of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
He is the founder and chairman of ECANY Capital, a New York-based investment advisory firm.
Expertise & Global Strategy Advisory
Prof. Olayele’s expertise covers trade policy, global finance, innovation strategy, 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 hosts the Global Recast podcast, a series of curated conversations with global leaders on grit, courage, and economic optimism: www.theglobalrecast.org.
IMPACT & VISION
Dr. Olayele has had a distinguished career spanning academia, business, policy, and the civic sector at the highest levels. Connecting knowledge and practice to drive systemic change through the quadruple helix remains his forte.
A global strategy advisor and visionary leader driving impact at the intersection of public policy, markets, and social innovation, his global advisory work cuts across the US, UK, Spain, Canada, Africa, and several emerging markets and developing economies in the Asia Pacific and Latin America.
He has consulted widely and advised several public, private, and development institutions internationally.
Speaking Engagements
Dr. Olayele is active on the international speaking circuit both as a keynote speaker and panel moderator at numerous conferences and institutions.
He has lectured at numerous global business, policy, and innovation summits, forums, and conferences.
His speeches and lectures cover a wide range of issues from innovation and public policy to development and global finance.
PRAGMATIC APPROACH
A strategic advisor to key public and private sector leaders internationally, he provides deep insight into key themes driving the global political economy and international business development.
He holds a PhD in Economics from Lancaster University, United Kingdom; an MA in Economics from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada; and a BSc (First Class Honours) in Economics from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria where he emerged as the university valedictorian with the best overall performance.
Prof. Olayele combines strategic insights and a rigorous application of theoretical and practical economic reasoning to drive sustainable resource mobilization and public-private partnerships.
