Barry Standish co-founded StratEcon alongside Antony Boting, and his rigorous, data-driven approach to economic modelling , coupled with a practical client oriented insight, established the intellectual foundation on which StratEcon continues to operate. His hallmark was an extraordinary ability to think beyond conventional frameworks, developing creative, strategic solutions to complex economic challenges. This out-of-the-box thinking became a cornerstone of StratEcon’s approach and continues to influence the firm’s work today.
In addition to establishing StratEcon, Barry served as a senior economist at the UCT Graduate School of Business, where he was responsible for economics teaching across the Full Time, Modular, and Executive MBA programmes. His courses were regularly ranked in the global top ten in the Financial Times MBA surveys. He subsequently held a Visiting Professorship in Economics at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands. Barry became renowned for his wit, insight and ability to explain complex economic concepts with clarity and an unfiltered analytical perspective. Barry passed away in March 2024 at the age of 69, leaving behind a firm, a methodology and a reputation that remain his enduring legacy.