John Sfakianakis

John Sfakianakis is a Harvard-trained economist who specialises in Middle East energy markets, macroeconomic strategy, and regional investment dynamics. He serves as Chief Economist and Head of Research at the Gulf Research Center in Riyadh and holds positions as Senior Scholar at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, and Associate Fellow at Chatham House. His career spans senior roles advising the Saudi Ministry of Finance, leading economic research for major financial institutions including Credit Agricole and HSBC, and directing Middle East strategy for the Ashmore Group. Through his expert commentary in leading global media and his strategic advisory work, he equips organisations and audiences with practical insights into Gulf economies, oil policy, and the geopolitical forces shaping investment decisions across the region.

When John Sfakianakis advised the Saudi Ministry of Finance during a period of profound economic transformation, he gained firsthand insight into the fiscal mechanics reshaping one of the world's most strategically important regions. That experience laid the foundation for a career dedicated to interpreting the intersection of energy markets, geopolitical risk, and investment strategy across the Middle East and North Africa. Today, as Chief Economist and Head of Research at the Gulf Research Center in Riyadh, he occupies a unique vantage point from which to analyse the forces driving economic policy, oil markets, and regional development. His dual appointments as Senior Scholar at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, and Associate Fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House further position him at the centre of global dialogue on Gulf economies and their evolving role in the international order.

His credibility stems from more than two decades navigating senior roles across government, banking, and asset management. Beyond his advisory work with the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Sfakianakis has held leadership positions including Middle East Director for the Ashmore Group, where he served on the Investment Committee and guided strategy for funds regulated by Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority. He has also served as Group General Manager and Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa region at Credit Agricole, Chief Economist at Saudi British Bank (part of HSBC), and Chief Regional Economist at Samba Financial Group. His academic foundation, a PhD in Economics from Harvard University, underpins his analytical rigour, whilst his early career roles as an economist with the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank provided a multilateral perspective on development and policy. His commentary appears regularly in the Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, where his analysis helps global audiences decode complex regional dynamics in real time.

Sfakianakis equips organisations and event audiences with practical frameworks for understanding how oil policy, fiscal reform, privatisation, and geopolitical tensions shape investment decisions and corporate strategy across the Gulf. His presentations translate macroeconomic trends into actionable intelligence, helping leaders anticipate shifts in regional markets, assess risk, and identify opportunity in an environment defined by rapid change. Whether addressing energy executives, institutional investors, or policymakers, he offers clarity on the strategic calculus driving Gulf economies and the broader Middle East. Audiences leave with a deeper grasp of the economic forces at play, a sharper ability to navigate uncertainty, and the confidence to make informed decisions in one of the world's most dynamic and consequential regions.