Olan works as a doctoral researcher for the OBFA-TRANSFORM project at Global Climate Forum. His research interests are in comparative and international political economy. His doctoral project looks at how European states are investing in frontier technologies which are vital to the Green Transition through OBFAs such as strategic investment funds, development banks, and national energy companies, with case studies covering a range of countries including Ireland, Denmark, and Germany.

Olan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin and a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School, where he worked as a research assistant and seminar organiser for the Hertie Social Policy Research Group. He has additionally gained research experience at think tanks such as the Trinity Centre for Social Innovation in Dublin and the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin. Before joining GCF, Olan worked for two years as a researcher and project manager at a market research firm.