NERA mourns the passing of Richard T. Rapp, who led the firm as President and CEO from 1988 to 2005 and whose vision transformed NERA from a distinguished American consultancy into a truly global institution.
Dr. Rapp joined NERA in 1977 and quickly earned a reputation as a gifted economist and a natural leader. In the firm’s early days of international expansion, it was Dr. Rapp who spent a full year in London helping to establish NERA’s first overseas office—a commitment that reflected his belief in NERA’s potential to serve clients far beyond the United States.
When Dr. Rapp became President in 1988, NERA was a respected but primarily US-focused firm. Over his nearly two-decade presidency, he led an extraordinary period of growth, opening offices across Europe and Asia-Pacific and building NERA into the world’s preeminent economic consultancy. He expanded the firm’s focus areas, attracted world-class talent, and cultivated a culture in which trusted economics and entrepreneurial ambition flourished. Under his leadership, NERA grew to hundreds of professionals serving clients in more than 100 countries
Yet those who worked alongside Dr. Rapp will tell you his impact went beyond strategy and expansion: He was a leader who believed deeply in the people around him. He invested in their careers, challenged them to think bigger, and created opportunities for the next generation of NERA consultants to build on his legacy. His approach to leadership, which paired intellectual rigor with genuine care for his colleagues, became part of the firm’s character.
“Dick Rapp saw what NERA could become and spent decades making it real: a truly global firm built on rigorous economics and exceptional people,” said Lawrence Wu, NERA’s current President. “His legacy lives on in the work we do and the culture we carry forward every day.”
After stepping down as President in 2005, Dr. Rapp served as Chairman through NERA’s transition into Oliver Wyman Group and continued his distinguished consulting practice in antitrust and intellectual property economics, the work that first drew him to the profession.
Before joining NERA, Dr. Rapp was an associate professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an award-winning author of books and articles on international trade and economic history. He held a BA from Brooklyn College and an MA and PhD in economic history from the University of Pennsylvania.
Beyond the firm, Dr. Rapp served on the board of directors and executive committee of the Legal Aid Society of New York from 1992 to 2005 and was a member of the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. He and his wife were longstanding members of the National Council of the Santa Fe Opera.
Dr. Rapp’s fingerprints are on everything NERA is today. The global reach of the firm, the depth of its expertise, and the caliber of its people trace back to foundations he helped lay. His legacy continues in the way we serve our clients every day and in the excellence he championed throughout his career.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family.