Jones Odei-Mensah

Professor Jones Odei-Mensah is Professor of Economics and Finance at Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, where he also serves as Acting Academic Director. He holds a PhD in Economics from Universiti Brunei Darussalam and is a National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher.

His academic interests lie broadly in economics and finance, with particular emphasis on the development, resilience, and transformation of financial systems in Africa and other emerging economies. His research spans financial stability and systemic risk, insurance markets, digital finance, sustainable finance, and international trade and financial relations. His scholarship combines rigorous empirical analysis with a commitment to addressing economic and financial challenges of relevance to policymakers, institutions, and society.

Professor Odei-Mensah's research has been published in international peer-reviewed journals, including Research in International Business and Finance, Economic Modelling, and Applied Energy. His work has also contributed to policy reports by international organisations, including the United Nations, the OECD, and the African Development Bank. He has undertaken advisory and research engagements with institutions including Afreximbank and the African Center for Economic Transformation.

Beyond research, Professor Odei-Mensah is actively involved in academic leadership, postgraduate education, scholarly publishing, and research capacity development. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the African Review of Economics and Finance and Founding Editor of the Wits Business Review. Through these roles, he contributes to the advancement and dissemination of scholarly research, particularly scholarship addressing the economic, financial, and business challenges facing African economies.

Teaching and academic mentorship are central to his professional contributions. He has supervised ten doctoral graduates, with former students and postdoctoral fellows pursuing careers in academia, central banking, international development, and public policy. Their professional journeys include appointments at institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, and Bank of Ghana. His teaching spans MBA, master's, doctoral, and executive education programmes.

Professor Odei-Mensah joined Wits Business School in 2015 as a postdoctoral fellow. He was appointed Senior Lecturer in 2017 and Associate Professor in 2022, before his appointment as Professor of Economics and Finance. Throughout his academic career, he has contributed to academic leadership, postgraduate education, programme development, and institutional advancement.