AAR names Ghayad chief economist, SVP

The Association of American Railroads (AAR)  has appointed Rand Ghayad as chief economist and senior vice president of policy and economics.

An economist with over a decade of experience in consulting and public policy, Ghayad will lead AAR’s policy and economics team, AAR officials said in a press release. Ghayad will succeed John Gray, who is retiring after almost 16 years of service at the association.

"Rand’s impressive track record as a thought leader in economics and technology aligns perfectly with the freight-rail industry’s commitment to innovation and policy advocacy," said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies.

Ghayad recently served as head of economics at LinkedIn, where he researched the dynamics of labor markets. His work explored the impact of current and emerging trends on the future of work and workers.

During his tenure at the International Monetary Fund, Ghayad advised member countries on a wide spectrum of international economic policy and stabilization issues. His work involved research on macroeconomics and finance, analyzing economic issues and delivering policy recommendations to both fragile and emerging market countries.