EBEHI IYOHA

Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Economist & Research Fellow

Boston, US.

About

Dr. Ebehi Iyoha is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, specializing in international economics, firm productivity, and the impact of AI in emerging markets. With a robust research portfolio and extensive teaching experience, Dr. Iyoha leverages deep expertise in quantitative analysis to inform policy and drive strategic insights for global development, particularly within African economies. Their work focuses on understanding complex economic phenomena like trade rerouting, technology adoption, and productivity spillovers, contributing significantly to both academic discourse and practical applications.

Work

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

|

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

Boston, MA, US

→

Summary

Leads impactful research and delivers core curriculum courses at Harvard Business School, shaping future leaders in global business and economic development.

Highlights

Developed and delivered "Launching Global Ventures," a second-year elective curriculum (2025), equipping students with strategies for global entrepreneurship.

Instructed "The Entrepreneurial Manager," a first-year required curriculum (2022-2025), impacting foundational business understanding for numerous HBS students.

Appointed Faculty Affiliate at the Center for International Development (CID) (2024-Present), contributing to global development research initiatives.

Appointed Faculty Affiliate at the Center for African Studies (CAS) (2025-Present), focusing on economic and entrepreneurial development in Africa.

Co-organized the Entrepreneurial Management (EM) Unit Seminar Series (2022-2025), fostering academic discourse and research collaboration within the unit.

Facilitated the Business in Global Society (BiGS) Mexico Roundtable Group (2025), promoting international business dialogue and cross-cultural insights.

Contributed to the Business in Global Society (BiGS) Africa Teaching Group (2025-Present), enhancing curriculum on African business contexts and challenges.

Delivered executive education as Instructor for programs including Family Office Wealth Management, Inspiring Entrepreneurial Strategy, and Senior Executive Program—Africa (2023-2024).

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

|

Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellow

Boston, MA, US

→

Summary

Conducted advanced research and contributed to the academic environment as a Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellow at a leading global institution.

Highlights

Engaged in high-level economic research, contributing to the intellectual vibrancy and research output of the university.

Collaborated with senior faculty on various research projects, enhancing expertise in international trade and firm productivity.

Presented research findings at internal seminars, receiving critical feedback to refine academic work and methodologies.

Utilized institutional resources to advance dissertation-related research and prepare for faculty positions, culminating in an Assistant Professor role.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

|

Economist (Research)

Boston, MA, US

→

Summary

Conducted rigorous economic research and analysis to inform policy decisions at a prominent federal financial institution.

Highlights

Performed in-depth quantitative analysis on economic trends and policy implications, contributing to regional and national economic understanding.

Published research findings in working papers and internal reports, disseminating critical insights to economists and policymakers.

Collaborated with a team of economists on projects related to financial markets, labor economics, and international trade.

Utilized advanced econometric models and statistical software to analyze large datasets and identify key economic drivers, informing policy recommendations.

Stears Business

|

Columnist

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

→

Summary

Provided insightful economic and business analysis through regular columns, contributing to public discourse on African markets and policy.

Highlights

Authored numerous articles on economic and business topics relevant to Nigeria and broader African markets, reaching a wide readership.

Translated complex economic concepts into accessible insights for a general business audience, enhancing public understanding of market dynamics.

Developed a strong voice in economic commentary, influencing discussions on policy, industry trends, and market developments.

Contributed to the reputation of Stears Business as a leading source of African economic analysis and thought leadership.

Education

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN, United States of America
→
Ph.D. Economics

Courses

Dissertation: Essays on the Role of Networks in Firm Productivity and International Trade

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN, United States of America
→
M.A. Economics

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
→
B.S. Economics

Awards

Digital Data Design (D^3) Institute Associates Program for “Understanding Information Barriers to AI Adoption in African Firms.”

Digital Data Design (D^3) Institute

Awarded a prestigious associates program grant to research information barriers to AI adoption in African firms, highlighting innovative research focus.

Private Enterprise Development in Low-Income Countries (PEDL) Exploratory Research Grant for "The Impact of AI Innovation on African Firm Productivity.”

Private Enterprise Development in Low-Income Countries (PEDL)

Secured a significant research grant to explore the impact of AI innovation on firm productivity within African low-income countries.

Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa for “The Impact of AI Innovation on African Firm Productivity."

Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa

Received accelerator funding to advance critical research on the impact of AI innovation on African firm productivity, supporting high-priority economic studies.

UNCTAD-AIB Award for Best Research on Investment and Development for “Home-Country Productivity Spillovers from U.S. Multinational Activity."

UNCTAD-AIB

Recognized with an award for outstanding research on investment and development, specifically focusing on productivity spillovers from U.S. multinational activity.

European Association for Research in Industrial Economics (EARIE) Young Economists' Essay Award for “Estimating Productivity in the Presence of Spillovers: Firm-level Evidence from the US Production Network."

European Association for Research in Industrial Economics (EARIE)

Honored with the Young Economists' Essay Award for seminal work on estimating firm-level productivity within the US production network.

Publications

Omio: Mapping the Future of Global Travel.

Harvard Business School Case N9-825-114

Co-authored a Harvard Business School case study on Omio, exploring strategic challenges and opportunities in global travel technology.

Gigbanc: Building for Africa's Digital Workforce.

Harvard Business School Case 526-039

Co-authored a Harvard Business School case study focusing on Gigbanc's efforts in developing Africa's digital workforce.

Exports in Disguise: Trade Re-Routing During the U.S.-China Trade War.

Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-072

Co-authored research analyzing the dynamics and implications of trade re-routing during the U.S.-China trade war.

Navigating Choppy Waters: How U.S. Trade Policy Uncertainty Affects Small Businesses.

Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 25-048

Co-authored research examining the impact of U.S. trade policy uncertainty on the operational stability and performance of small businesses.

The Role of African Fintechs in Facilitating Telemigration.

Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 26-010

Co-authored research exploring the critical role of African fintech companies in enabling and facilitating telemigration.

Multiproduct Transactions in International Markets.

Working Paper

Co-authored research analyzing the complexities of multiproduct transactions within international markets.

Home-Country Productivity Spillovers from US Multinational Activity.

Working Paper

Authored a working paper investigating productivity spillovers in home countries resulting from US multinational activity.

Research: The Costs of Circumventing Tariffs.

Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

Co-authored an article for Harvard Business Review Digital, detailing the economic costs associated with circumventing international tariffs.

Exports in Disguise: Trade Rerouting during the US-China Trade War?

VoxChina

Co-authored an article for VoxChina, examining trade rerouting strategies employed during the US-China trade war.

Estimating Productivity in the Presence of Spillovers: Firm-level Evidence from the US Production Network.

Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-033

Authored a working paper providing firm-level evidence on productivity estimation in the presence of spillovers within the US production network.

Wordle.

Harvard Business School Teaching Note 824-004

Co-authored a Harvard Business School teaching note to accompany the Wordle case study, providing guidance for instructors.

Wordle.

Harvard Business School Case 323-032

Co-authored a Harvard Business School case study analyzing the business and strategic implications of the popular game Wordle.

Integrated economies: Post-pandemic trade in West Africa,

West Africa Insight, Volume 6(6), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa

Authored an article analyzing the dynamics of post-pandemic trade integration within West African economies.

Skills

Economic Research & Analysis

International Economics, Development Economics, Applied Microeconomics, Industrial Organization, Trade Policy, Firm Productivity, AI Adoption, Econometric Modeling, Quantitative Analysis, Data Analysis, Policy Analysis, Economic Networks, Multinational Activity.

Teaching & Curriculum Development

Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Global Ventures, Curriculum Design, Case Method Teaching, Executive Education, Guest Lecturing, The Entrepreneurial Manager.

Academic Writing & Publication

Working Papers, Journal Articles, Case Studies, Teaching Notes, Economic Commentary, Dissertation Writing, Peer Review, Research Grant Proposals, Harvard Business Review.

Data & Statistical Tools

Stata, R, Python, Large Dataset Analysis, Statistical Inference, Causal Inference, Big Data Analytics.

Project Management & Collaboration

Research Project Leadership, Cross-functional Team Collaboration, Seminar Series Organization, Grant Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Academic Conference Organization.

Public Speaking & Presentations

Conference Presentations, Seminar Presentations, Guest Lectures, Panel Discussions, Academic Conferences, Public Speaking.

Regional & Thematic Expertise

African Economies, West Africa, Emerging Markets, International Development, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact, Fintech, Trade Wars.