Baba Freeman
Payne Institute Communications Associate

Baba Freeman is a Communications Associate at the Payne Institute for Public Policy. He is working on the multi-dimensional aspects of rising demand for critical minerals and metals due to the ongoing changes in the energy and defense sectors; and how it affects markets, trade, security, geopolitics, prices, and technology development.

Before joining the Payne Institute, Baba worked in the oil industry (Cobalt Energy, Equinor, and Hess) and as a management consultant (Accenture, Booz & Company, and KPMG) in the US, Australia, West Africa, and the Middle East.

As an oil professional, Baba’s focus was on business unit performance management, capital projects management, risk management, financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, commercial due diligence, and strategy implementation. As a management consultant, he led business strategy and industry analysis, policy analysis, and business process improvement engagements. Through these opportunities, he acquired an appreciation of macro trends and an understanding of how they impact business decisions and corporate performance.

Baba’s education covers the broad aspects of the natural resources industry, ranging from technical disciplines (B.Tech. Geophysics) to economics and business (MSc., Mineral Economics), and policy (MSc., Natural Resources and Energy Policy). He is also highly skilled in geopolitical risk analysis and lifecycle assessment/sustainability analysis.

Outside the office, Baba is an avid reader of non-fiction works, a sports enthusiast, and a volunteer at Impact Houston, a faith-based organization.