Ghayad Appointed as AAR Chief Economist, SVP of Policy and Economics
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Dr. Rand Ghayad will succeed John Gray as AAR's Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics.
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) on Jan. 30 announced that Dr. Rand Ghayad has been appointed as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics. He succeeds John Gray, who is retiring after almost 16 years of dedicated service at AAR.
An accomplished economist with more than a decade of expertise in economic consulting and public policy, Dr. Ghayad will lead the Association’s Policy and Economics team, “advancing AAR’s economic strategies and policy initiatives.”
Most recently, Dr. Ghayad served as the Head of Economics at LinkedIn. In this role, he delivered thought leadership and conducted cutting-edge research on the dynamics of labor markets. His work explored the impact of current and emerging trends on the future of work and workers.
During his tenure at the International Monetary Fund, Dr. Ghayad advised member countries on a wide spectrum of international economic policy and stabilization issues. His work involved innovative research on macroeconomics and finance, analyzing economic issues and delivering policy recommendations to both fragile and emerging market countries.
As a senior economist with the Brattle Group, he worked with the U.S. Department of Justice and federal agencies on a broad range of complex financial and economic investigations. He also provided economic analyses and damages estimates in litigation matters across diverse industries, including aviation, railroads, postal and shipping.
Dr. Ghayad serves as a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center of Scholars and has been an adjunct faculty member at Harvard University since 2014. He holds M.S. degrees in Financial Economics and Multinational Commerce from Boston University and a Ph.D. in Economics from Northeastern University.
“Rand’s impressive track record as a thought leader in economics and technology aligns perfectly with the freight rail industry’s commitment to innovation and policy advocacy,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “We are thrilled to welcome him to AAR and look forward to the valuable contributions he will make to our organization and the rail industry.”
