Dr. Brian O'Donnell
Dr. Brian O'Donnell
Principal & Senior Policy Strategist, Aurex Insights
Senior Fellow, The Conference Board of Canada
Dr Brian O’Donnell, DBA, is an economic-policy and strategic adviser and Founder of Aurex Insights, an Ottawa- and Dublin-based practice that helps businesses, industry associations, NGOs and public-sector organizations turn complex policy, competitiveness and cross-border issues into practical growth strategies.
He previously served as an economic-policy adviser in the Irish Parliament and as a non-executive director of a semi-state economic-development agency. A former Irish Senator with 14 years of legislative and public-policy experience, he brings practical expertise in competitiveness, enterprise and industrial policy, regulatory strategy, stakeholder engagement, and Canada–EU economic relations.
Brian has supported SMEs and representative organizations to develop evidence-led approaches to public policy, funding, growth and engagement with government and European institutions. He holds a first-class Doctorate in Business Administration specializing in enterprise policy, a master’s qualification in finance, a postgraduate diploma in public administration, and a bachelor’s degree in Food Science.