Bart Édes

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.

Between 2001 and 2020, he 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, IT for development, knowledge management, poverty reduction, social protection and stakeholder consultation. He guided the 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.

In 1986, while engaged as a researcher at the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Ottawa, he studied the impact of immigration on the Canadian labour market and economy, and made recommendations for a Canadian government review of demographic trends.

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.