QS Quacquarelli Symonds, Global. Labour economist and future of work expert Bledi Taska has joined QS Quacquarelli Symonds as chief economist. Former executive vice president and chief economist at Lightcast and most recently chief data and analytics officer at TalentNeuron, Bledi will drive QS’s labor market data and analytics that is designed to bridge the gap between higher education and the global workforce and employability. He will focus on providing solutions for students, universities and governments navigating the evolving world of work and industry. Based in Boston, he will support the North American market with unique analysis using QS’s proprietary data on issues such as the future of work, skills and up skilling, education and workforce planning and employment market dynamics. Bledi said: “I chose to join QS because its mission aligns closely with what has motivated me throughout my career: the belief that education and labor markets, when they function well, are among the most powerful drivers of opportunity.”