Academic backgrounds and work experiences of the Globe and Mail article courtesy of PERPLEXITY A.I.
JULIAN KARAGUESIAN
Julian Karaguesian is a Canadian economist with extensive experience in public service, academia, and economic policy advisory roles. He currently serves as a Special Advisor to the New Approaches to Economic Challenges (NAEC) unit at the OECD. Previously, he was a Special Advisor in the International Trade and Finance Branch at the Canadian Ministry of Finance, dealing with issues such as the future of the
Rules-Based International Order, the economic impacts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and global reserve currency dynamics. He has also served as Finance Counsellor in Canadian embassies in Berlin and Washington DC. Since 2018, he has been teaching international finance, history of economic thought, and new economic thinking at McGill University’s Department of Economics in Montreal[1][2][4].
Karaguesian is co-founder of "Age of Economics," a web-based project focused on exploring critical economic questions and the state of capitalism, aiming to foster ideas for the common good without commercial motivation[3][7]. He is known for his views on global economic shifts, including the decline of the postwar economic order and the rise of protectionism and state capitalism, particularly in relation to China and Western economic policy challenges[8].
He is multilingual, with proficiency in English, French, and German[4], and occasionally contributes opinion pieces on economic and political topics affecting Canada and global economics[5].
ROBIN SHABAN
**Robin Shaban** is a Canadian economist, public policy expert, and a leading thinker on Canadian competition policy and economic inclusion. They currently serve as a Partner at **2R Strategy**, a consulting firm specializing in economic analysis and strategic foresight to help clients tackle complex challenges with regulatory and social impact dimensions. Robin is also the Chair and Co-Founder of the **Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project**, a think tank dedicated to addressing issues caused by monopoly power in Canada[1][2][3][5].
Robin has held various positions, including Senior Advisor at Vivic Research, a co-founder role there, Policy Lead & Economist at the Public Policy Forum, and earlier as a Competition Law Officer at the Canadian Competition Bureau. Their expertise spans regulation, economic policy, social justice, and competition law research. Robin is a frequent public speaker and media commentator and has been recognized with a Changemaker Award from The Globe and Mail in 2021 for their contributions to advancing public policy focused on social justice and competition policy[1][2][3][4][7].
Educationally, Robin holds a PhD in Public Policy from Carleton University, a Master’s degree in Economics from Queen’s University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Alberta[1][2][3][7].
Robin uses the pronouns they/them and is also active as a board member in organizations such as the Toronto Association for Business and Economics and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre[1][3][7].
In summary, Robin Shaban is recognized for their combination of academic rigor, policy leadership, and commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth and competitive markets in Canada[1][2][3][5].