ISID Welcomes Bart Édes as Professor of Practice

Mr Bart Édes joins ISID as Professor of Practice for a two year term beginning May 1 2021.  At the Institute, Mr Édes will broaden capacities in relation to Asia and will complement other ISID research agendas in such areas as development finance, strategic partnerships, and sustainable development. Of particular interest is his planned study of digital initiatives for development in the post-pandemic era.

Bart Édes is a policy analyst, commentator, and author of Learning From Tomorrow: Using Strategic Foresight to Prepare for the Next Big Disruption (2021). He focuses on developing Asian economies, international development, cross-border trade and investment, innovation, social policies, and transformative trends reshaping the world. Since December 2020, he has served as a non-resident Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, and was named a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada in January 2021.

Between 2001 and 2020, Édes held senior staff positions at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), most recently serving as the lender’s North American Representative (2017-2020). While based at ADB’s Manila headquarters, he oversaw teams responsible for policy, strategy and operational guidance on education, governance, health, inclusive business, ICT for development, knowledge management, poverty reduction, social protection and stakeholder consultation. He also guided formulation of ADB’s landmark Public Communications Policy, explored the impact of climate change on migration in Asia, launched ADB’s largest community of practice (on social development), and managed partnerships with civil society organizations, donors and international organizations.

Édes has a bachelor’s degree in Government from Georgetown University, and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Born in Prince Albert, SK, he now resides in Montréal, QC.