Brad Olsen

Chief Executive and Principal Economist

Brad Olsen is the Chief Executive and Principal Economist at Infometrics and is one of New Zealand’s leading economic commentators. Brad is passionate about using economics to make better informed decisions and can communicate complex and detailed trends in a simple, relatable, and useful manner. With extensive networks across New Zealand’s business, media, community, and social sectors, Brad often brings together a variety of views, data, and emerging trends to inform advice and analysis to key decision makers across New Zealand.

Brad is a community leader and is one of New Zealand’s youngest Justices of the Peace. His work in the community has been recognised a number of times: he was named New Zealand’s Queen’s Young Leader in 2016, one of Asia New Zealand Foundation’s 25 to Watch in 2019, and Young Wellingtonian of the Year 2020.

As a young person, Brad brings a different perspective to key opportunities and challenges that New Zealand faces and is keen to unlock more potential across businesses and communities. Emerging trends continue to accelerate the pace of change across the world and in New Zealand, and Brad focuses on understanding these trends as they evolve and highlighting way to enhance outcomes for local communities.

Background

Originally from Whangarei, Brad completed his undergraduate studies at Victoria University of Wellington, finishing with a BCom and BA (majoring in Economics, Public Policy, International Relations and Political Science).

Since joining Infometrics in July 2015 as a part time data analyst while studying at Victoria University of Wellington, Brad has risen to be one of New Zealand’s most prominent, and youngest, economic commentators. He’s been termed by The Spinoff as a boy wonder and economist extraordinaire for his detailed, comprehensive, but understandable views on the economy. Brad has appeared in various media both nationally and globally, including with TVNZ, Newshub, Radio NZ, Stuff, Newsroom, NZME, The Guardian, and many others.

He regularly presents to boards, senior leadership, stakeholders, and key decision makers across New Zealand about key economic trends. Brad is a skilled communicator and works to inform key decision makers and the wider public about emerging and changing trends and getting useful and understandable insights to a wide range of groups.

At present, he is focused on New Zealand’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and what emerging trends from the pandemic mean for local economies. He also takes a keen interest in global economic trends and the current shift in supply chains. Since his emergence in the economics scene, Brad has also been a leading commentator on housing and infrastructure issues across New Zealand.

Brad’s role at Infometrics covers all parts of the business. In the regional and sector space, he is responsible for interacting with clients and providing key regional and industry-level economic insights. He is also a part of the forecasting team, analysing the latest trends and looking at how the economy is shifting. He has completed a range of bespoke consulting projects, including public policy costings in the education and healthcare space. Brad’s role includes regularly making presentations across the country (or now by Zoom) to examine current and emerging trends.

In 2019, Brad co-authored the Regional Wellbeing: A broader view of community outcomes around New Zealand Infometrics report, and designed the Regional Wellbeing Framework, allowing local leaders and their communities to better understand how their area functions and design innovative actions to improve the wellbeing of the wider community.

Outside of work, Brad’s an active and engaged member of the Wellington community and is one of New Zealand’s youngest Justices of the Peace (JP). He is also a Board Member of Business Central, and a member of the Institute of Directors, Global Shapers Community Wellington Hub, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network, the Wellington District Licensing Committee, volunteers with Take10, is a marriage and civil union celebrant, and was formerly a member of the Wellington City Youth Council. In 2016, he was announced as New Zealand’s Queen’s Young Leader and has met with the Queen on three occasions.