Bio

Maryam Haghighi was appointed in 2024 as the Director of Enterprise Data Science and Insights at the Bank of Canada, where she is a driving force behind the Bank's strategic vision for artificial intelligence and advanced analytic technologies. Under her leadership, her teams leverage cutting-edge analytics to shape the Bank’s approach, embedding data-driven insights to inform policymaking, operations, and risk management.

Previously, as the Bank's Director of Data Science, she built the Data Science Hub from the ground up, establishing a foundational pillar for the Bank's digital transformation. She was the principal architect behind the Bank’s Quantum Strategy, the first for any central bank, globally. Her work has been focused on guiding policymakers through the challenges of technological disruption, with a keen emphasis on fostering innovation while ensuring economic stability and inclusivity.

Before joining the Bank, she represented Canada on international advisory panels under the United Nations, where her expertise in standardization and risk management for aviation played a key role in shaping global policies. Earlier in her career, as a Senior Advisor to the Government of Canada Crown Corporations, she led high-profile data initiatives, including the largest memorandum to cabinet, resulting in the creation of thousands of jobs across the country.

She has published in top journals, served as reviewer and editor, including guest editor of the Journal of Econometrics. She is the recipient of the Young Alumni of the Year Award from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Science, the Governor’s Award of Excellence, and the Gil Bennet Award from DeGroote School of Business. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Ottawa and is a Chartered Director.

Research Field(s): Data Science Fintech Forecasting Technological Change