Richard Ough is a senior economist and international development practitioner focused on economic development in emerging markets across Africa, South Asia, and, more recently, Small States. He is passionate about the role of innovation and investment in unlocking development, alongside the essential need for good governance. His career spans 20 years leading development partnerships to support economic reforms and economic diplomacy, while harnessing the power of the private sector and tech innovations for sustainable growth and job creation.

A former DFID and FCDO senior economist for nearly 15 years, Richard founded his own consultancy, Flywheel Economics, in 2024. Since then, he has provided support to various development programmes, ranging from Value for Money assessments to economic analysis. Richard also hosts the Flywheel Economics podcast, where he challenges policymakers and the wider audience to consider new approaches to innovation, investment, and economic policymaking.