Barry Standish

Barry Standish was a distinguished economist and the co-founder of StratEcon and at the time of his passing was still actively consulting with the company. His career in economics began in 1980 at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he lectured in both applied and theoretical macroeconomics. In 2001, he transitioned to UCT’s Graduate School of Business (GSB), where he spent twelve impactful years shaping the minds of future business leaders and contributing to economic thought leadership.

Barry’s academic reach extended beyond South Africa. He was appointed Visiting Professor of Economics at the Rotterdam School of Economics, Erasmus University in the Netherlands, while still maintaining a strong affiliation with the UCT GSB through various executive education programmes. His passion for teaching and applied economic analysis made him a highly respected figure in both academic and professional circles.

During his time at the Graduate School of Business, Barry co-founded StratEcon, where he specialised in economic and financial modelling. His hallmark was an extraordinary ability to think beyond conventional frameworks, developing creative, strategic solutions to complex economic challenges. This out-of-the-box thinking became a cornerstone of StratEcon’s approach and continues to influence the firm’s work today.

Barry authored several books and published numerous academic and professional articles. His intellectual legacy is one of deep strategic insight and global impact, shaping economic discourse and decision-making well beyond South Africa. Barry Standish’s contributions to the field of applied economics and strategic consulting continue to inspire StratEcon’s mission and methodology.