PhD - Economics
HARVARD Unversity - 1989
Andrew S. Nevin, PhD
Research Professor - Center for BrainHealth
As the inaugural director of the Brainomics Venture, I positioning Center for BrainHealth, UT Dallas as the global authority in the economics of brain health.
+1 (972) 883-3336
Center for BrainHealth, Dallas, TX
Center for BrainHealth
Nevinomics
Currently accepting undergraduate and graduate students
Professional Preparation
MA - Philosophy and Politics
Balliol College, OXFORD University - 1985
Balliol College, OXFORD University - 1985
MA - Economics
WESTERN University - 1981
WESTERN University - 1981
BSc (Hon) - Computer Science and Mathematics
WESTERN University - 1980
WESTERN University - 1980
Research Areas
Andrew's journey and interests
Raised in modest circumstances in a mid-sized city in Canada, Andrew has become one of Canada’s leading global thinkers, with a unique and comprehensive range of experiences and perspectives.At age 13, Andrew took his first university course at the University of Western Ontario (now Western University), graduating at 17 as Gold Medalist in Computer Science. At 18, he started his PhD in Economics at Harvard, taking a break from his studies there at age 20 to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, studying Philosophy and Politics at Balliol College, and scoring two goals in the 100th Anniversary Blues ice hockey match against Cambridge.
On his return to Harvard at age 22 (1985), Andrew became increasingly uncomfortable with the economic orthodoxy we call ‘neo-classical economics’ with its foundation of individual rationality, single-dimension human decision-making, and a simplistic approach to time. This discomfort culminated in a thesis deconstructing economics’ core foundation in Utility Theory and demonstrating that this theory, as a basis for economic (and other) decision-making, leads to unethical choices that diminish human Flourishing by diminishing our conception of what it means for a human choice to possess value. By the standards of Economics scholarship, it was perhaps the worst thesis ever accepted at Harvard. But it had one singularly important characteristic: it was right. Andrew had thought beyond an economic orthodoxy that attempted to legitimize the discipline by reducing choice to a set of linear processes and saw instead an economic theory that is legitimate only when it acknowledges authentic choice processes in which people actually engage.
Coming to the end of his studies, Andrew recognized that he simply didn’t know enough about the world credibly to answer the questions he wanted to answer – how did an economy actually work? How do we measure what is really happening in an economy? What objectives for society should the economy pursue? And what are the real levers to make the economy work better? And so he left the academic world to pursue that understanding.
The subsequent years have been a remarkable journey of learning and Andrew has now started to answer some of these questions, not only for those who have experienced privilege, as he has, but toward better lives for everyone.
Andrew has a globally rare set of experiences. He has been a management consultant, a private equity investor, and run four companies, working across many industries. He has lived and worked in Toronto, Hong Kong, Beijing, Paris, London, Lagos, Abuja and now Dallas and has run businesses in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Sydney. Through Com Dev, one of Canada’s premier aerospace companies, Andrew was the first institutional investor to see and lead an investment that ultimately gave an ownership stake in RIM (now Blackberry) in 1995. He was also President of United Family Hospitals, China’s first and leading international hospital group, including through the remarkable SARS period in 2003. At PwC, he led the development of their perspective on the 2008 Great Financial Crisis and has worked on national level issues for financial systems in two countries (Nigeria and Ireland). He created the first version of Megatrends for PwC globally (2010), as well as leading the writing of PwC’s report on Revitalizing Corporate Japan (2012). He finished his career there as Partner and Chief Economist at PwC Nigeria.
And he has known failure as an entrepreneur. In 2005, he founded LanguageCalls to provide 1-1 language instruction where the student and the teacher were in different locations. As common as that has become today, in 2008, LanguageCalls had to be closed.
Today Andrew leads the Brainomics™ Venture at Center for BrainHealth and UT Dallas, a multi-disciplinary effort to unlock vast human potential by examining the economic impact of interventions to improve brain health and performance.
Nevinonomics is a gathering place for Andrew’s work across institutions, disciplines, and years. It links to diverse initiatives and collaborations, all of which have been aimed at understanding human need toward bettering human flourishing.
Publications
Awards
Strategy Consultant of the Year - Management Consulting Association, UK [2011]
Frans Botman Memorial Award - McKinsey & Company Netherlands [1991]
Rhodes Scholarship - Ontario and Balliol 1983 - Rhodes Trust [1983]
Appointments
Research Professor and Leader of the Brainomics Project
Center for BrainHealth, UT Dallas [2023–Present]
I am privileged to be able to pursue my passions as the Research Professor and the Inaugural Director of the Brainomics Venture at the Center for BrainHealth, University of Texas at Dallas. My focus is the economics of brain health, paying particular attention to the economics of what we can practically do to improve brain health for the individual, for the organization, and for the world.
Center for BrainHealth, UT Dallas [2023–Present]
I am privileged to be able to pursue my passions as the Research Professor and the Inaugural Director of the Brainomics Venture at the Center for BrainHealth, University of Texas at Dallas. My focus is the economics of brain health, paying particular attention to the economics of what we can practically do to improve brain health for the individual, for the organization, and for the world.
Board Member
ARM [2023–Present]
ARM is one of the leading non-bank financial institution in Nigeria (https://www.arm.com.ng/)
ARM [2023–Present]
ARM is one of the leading non-bank financial institution in Nigeria (https://www.arm.com.ng/)
Board Member
Outsource Global [2024–Present]
Outsource Global is the leading and the largest outsourcing company based in Nigeria, with clients in the USA, UK, Europe, Canada and Japan (https://www.outsourceglobal.com/)
Outsource Global [2024–Present]
Outsource Global is the leading and the largest outsourcing company based in Nigeria, with clients in the USA, UK, Europe, Canada and Japan (https://www.outsourceglobal.com/)
Board Member
Math Resources [1999–Present]
Math Resources is one of the world's leading math e-learning companies (https://mathresources.com/)
Math Resources [1999–Present]
Math Resources is one of the world's leading math e-learning companies (https://mathresources.com/)
Partner and Chief Economist
PwC Nigeria [2012–2023]
I had the extraordinary opportunity to be a nation builder and public intellectual in Nigeria, and played a number of key roles to advance Nigeria’s economy and society: (a) Advisory Partner and Chief Economist at PwC Nigeria (as Chief Economist, I was one of Nigeria's leading voices in unlocking the enormous potential of Nigeria's young people); (b) Co-creator of the Self-Organising Naija concept (www.selforganisingnaija.org); (c) Founding Governor of the Financial Centre for Sustainability (FC4S) Lagos; (d) Advisory Board Member of the Aig Imoukhuede Foundation; (d) Trustee of HH Muhammadu Sanusi II SDG Challenge; (e)Faculty Member of Nigeria's School of Politics, Politics, and Governance (thesppg.org) Economist, was a frequent speaker on economic matters, including regular appearances on CNBC Africa, Channels, and TVC.
PwC Nigeria [2012–2023]
I had the extraordinary opportunity to be a nation builder and public intellectual in Nigeria, and played a number of key roles to advance Nigeria’s economy and society: (a) Advisory Partner and Chief Economist at PwC Nigeria (as Chief Economist, I was one of Nigeria's leading voices in unlocking the enormous potential of Nigeria's young people); (b) Co-creator of the Self-Organising Naija concept (www.selforganisingnaija.org); (c) Founding Governor of the Financial Centre for Sustainability (FC4S) Lagos; (d) Advisory Board Member of the Aig Imoukhuede Foundation; (d) Trustee of HH Muhammadu Sanusi II SDG Challenge; (e)Faculty Member of Nigeria's School of Politics, Politics, and Governance (thesppg.org) Economist, was a frequent speaker on economic matters, including regular appearances on CNBC Africa, Channels, and TVC.
Director, Financial Services Strategy Consulting
PwC UK [2008–2012]
I served numerous global banks on strategic and operational issues. Led the writing of PwC's perspective on the financial crisis (Day After Tomorrow) and conceived and created PwC's flagship perspective on the future of financial services (Project Blue). Project Blue was the first time PwC considered the impact of the megatrends on companies and countries in an integrated way.
PwC UK [2008–2012]
I served numerous global banks on strategic and operational issues. Led the writing of PwC's perspective on the financial crisis (Day After Tomorrow) and conceived and created PwC's flagship perspective on the future of financial services (Project Blue). Project Blue was the first time PwC considered the impact of the megatrends on companies and countries in an integrated way.
Founder and Chairman
LanguageCalls [2005–2008]
LanguageCalls was an e-learning start-up providing 1-1 language instruction where the teacher and the student were in different locations. LC was funded by USD3m of angel start-up funding and delivered over 15,000 lessons, including to a number of leading multinational corporations. In June 2008, LC was closed as it became clear the the acquisition cost of new clients made the business model infeasible.
LanguageCalls [2005–2008]
LanguageCalls was an e-learning start-up providing 1-1 language instruction where the teacher and the student were in different locations. LC was funded by USD3m of angel start-up funding and delivered over 15,000 lessons, including to a number of leading multinational corporations. In June 2008, LC was closed as it became clear the the acquisition cost of new clients made the business model infeasible.
President & General Manager
United Family Hospitals [2003–2005]
United Family Hospitals was and is the leading international standards hospital group in China, and Beijing United was the first foreign hospital in the country (1998). I led the Beijing hospital, and was part of the team that opened the Shanghai hospitals. At time of leaving, I oversaw 600 staff, 100 physicians, and 200 nurses. From the period March 2003-June 2003, I was part of the extraordinary crisis team that led the hospital and Beijing expat community through the SARS crisis. I launched Beijing United through the JCIA accreditation process, the second hospital in China to achieve this
United Family Hospitals [2003–2005]
United Family Hospitals was and is the leading international standards hospital group in China, and Beijing United was the first foreign hospital in the country (1998). I led the Beijing hospital, and was part of the team that opened the Shanghai hospitals. At time of leaving, I oversaw 600 staff, 100 physicians, and 200 nurses. From the period March 2003-June 2003, I was part of the extraordinary crisis team that led the hospital and Beijing expat community through the SARS crisis. I launched Beijing United through the JCIA accreditation process, the second hospital in China to achieve this
Chief Operating Officer
Beijing Oztime Education & Network Technology Company [2001–2002]
I led the restructuring of Oztime, a Beijing-based e-learning company (c.70 employees) in the wake of the dotcom meltdown. Oztime has become China's largest domestic supplier of LMS software, with over a million users at major corporations and government departments.
Beijing Oztime Education & Network Technology Company [2001–2002]
I led the restructuring of Oztime, a Beijing-based e-learning company (c.70 employees) in the wake of the dotcom meltdown. Oztime has become China's largest domestic supplier of LMS software, with over a million users at major corporations and government departments.
Managing Director, Asia Pacific
Whittman_Hart/marchFIRST [1999–2001]
I led the opening of the Asia Pacific presence for marchFIRST, including the Japanese JV with Dentsu. marchFIRST provided professional services (technology, strategy, and creative) to major companies as part of the early dotcom boom. Unfortunately, marchFIRST was one of the largest casualties of the dotcom bust, and entered Chapter 7 in April 2001, with over 10,000 employees losing their jobs.
Whittman_Hart/marchFIRST [1999–2001]
I led the opening of the Asia Pacific presence for marchFIRST, including the Japanese JV with Dentsu. marchFIRST provided professional services (technology, strategy, and creative) to major companies as part of the early dotcom boom. Unfortunately, marchFIRST was one of the largest casualties of the dotcom bust, and entered Chapter 7 in April 2001, with over 10,000 employees losing their jobs.