A seasoned economist, public policy leader, and senior strategic advisor to public sector and corporate executives, Dr. Fred Olayele’s expertise covers 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 lectures internationally and writes on global development and related subjects. 

Professor Olayele has held academic positions and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in economics, strategic management, and public policy 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. 

With a diverse career spanning academia, government, finance, and international development, he has consulted widely and advised several public, private, and development institutions internationally. He recently 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. 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.

A Senior Partner with EIPG Development Partners – a boutique economic development advisory firm – he combines strategic insights and a rigorous application of theoretical and practical economic reasoning to provide expert advice and guide public sector and corporate executives.

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’s overall best graduating student.

Professor Olayele serves on various boards and supports many social causes. Among others, he sits on the Academic Advisory Board of the Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell University, New York, and the Board of Directors of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. He chairs the Advisory Board of the Futures Institute for Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development in Canada.

He directs the Regional Innovation North Lab — a multidisciplinary pan-Canadian research and thought leadership platform focused on mapping, strengthening, and strategic internationalization of Canada’s innovation ecosystems across its five distinct regions.

He is a Senior Fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Canada.