Johannes Ernst Conrad (born 28 February 1839 in West Prussia) was a German political economist.

Late in his career, in 1911, he became the director of the newly established Institute for Co-operative Studies at the University of Halle.

After completion of his studies he made larger journeys in Italy, England, France, Poland, Hungary, he achieved habilitation, in 1868 he became private lecturer in Jena, 1870 he was appointed extraordinary professor and in the same year he was appointed full professor.

Two years later he was appointed professor at the University of Halle, as successor to the famous Gustav Schmoller.

The Americans, Richard T. Ely, Simon N. Patten, Edmund J. James, and Joseph F. Johnson studied under Conrad at Halle in the late 1870s, thus profoundly influencing the Harvard University Department of Economics.