Opolot Nicholas Akwang

Led innovation and policy-driven programming at the intersection of politics, business, and development; fostered strategic linkages between Uganda and the EU/Germany.

• Curated and facilitated over 8 innovation dialogues, workshops, and roundtables, enabling structured exchange between +200 Ugandan startups and 40 European stakeholders.
• Launched cross-continental innovation exchange platforms, contributing to 15% growth in EU-Uganda market linkages.
• Curated 3 successful editions of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference, attracting over 800 participants and 100 global contributors to discuss shared multilateral challenges in global geopolitics.
• Advocated for innovation-friendly policy reform, contributing to 8 national-level policy recommendations being adopted or considered in Uganda.
• Led strategic partnerships with incubators and accelerators, reaching 2 early-stage ventures across Uganda.
• Developed and executed strategic plans aligned with KAS’ political and economic priorities, achieving 85% program delivery success rate within timelines and budget.
• Oversaw day-to-day operations for +10 concurrent programs, including resource allocation, budget oversight, and performance tracking.
• Supervised cross-functional teams of 8 project staff and 15 consultants, ensuring delivery of high-impact activities and adherence to compliance standards.
• Monitored program KPIs and implemented data-driven adjustments, improving project efficiency by 40%.
• Built and sustained relationships with over 100 high-level stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society, private sector actors, and EU development partners.
• Represented the Foundation at international fora and public policy engagements, contributing to the strengthening of German-Ugandan bilateral relations in innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Developed policy briefs and strategic reports influencing Germany & Uganda's development cooperation agendas.
• Managed acquisition, planning, and execution of 2 externally-funded projects, securing funding valued at €300,000.
• Negotiated and managed vendor contracts, achieving 30% cost savings while maintaining quality standards.
• Leveraged technology tools (e.g. Favorit, Notion, Teams, Figma, Miro & MS Office) to streamline project tracking, reporting, and collaboration.
• Designed and implemented mentoring and coaching programs for emerging leaders, improving team performance by 40%.

Selected to lead a dynamic hub of 51 young changemakers under 30 aligned with the World Economic Forum’s vision for local impact and global collaboration.

• Led the development and execution of the hub’s annual strategic plan, aligning with WEF global objectives; increased member project participation by 50%.
• Spearheaded annual reporting and compliance processes, ensuring 100% alignment with WEF governance standards.
• Facilitated cross-hub collaborations and represented the Kampala Hub at regional and global WEF events, strengthening Uganda’s voice in global youth policy discourse.
• Onboarded and mentored over 10 new Shapers, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture that improved retention by 30%.
• Initiated a structured mentorship and leadership development program for emerging members, resulting in 15 members taking on leadership roles in new projects.
• Mediated internal hub conflicts and reinforced WEF’s code of conduct to ensure a safe, inclusive environment.
• Social Media Convention on AI & Democracy (2023): Co-led the planning and execution of a multi-stakeholder convention with Konrad Adenauer Foundation and partners; attracted 200+ attendees and sparked national conversation on AI's role in governance.
• Meet The Leader Series (w/ Stalworth Consulting): Curated and moderated dialogue sessions on digitization, instability, and youth employment; engaged 100+ youth and leaders in the tech ecosystem.
• Art-Based Therapy for Mental Health Awareness: Partnered with Figurines Uganda to host therapy workshops reaching 50 youth and community members.
• Blood Donation Drive – International Youth Day 2023: Mobilized over 200 pints of blood through public drive at Luwum Street; supporting national emergency blood supply efforts.
• Oversaw project lifecycle management, ensuring projects met KPIs, timelines, and community relevance.
• Built and nurtured strategic partnerships with 10+ organizations (e.g Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Media Challenge Initiative, Pollicy) to amplify project scope and reach.
• Mobilized funding and in-kind support worth over USD 20,000 to implement high-impact community projects.
• Advocated for civic and digital inclusion policies in engagements with local government stakeholders.
• Initiated cross-hub learning exchanges with Global Shapers from 5 countries, sharing best practices on youth engagement, innovation, and sustainability.
• Introduced tech-enabled tools for internal project tracking, increasing project reporting efficiency by 20%.
• Championed digital campaigns that extended project visibility to over 100,000+ online impressions across platforms.
• Implemented a knowledge transfer system that ensured seamless onboarding and sustainability of institutional memory.
• Developed internal toolkits and playbooks for project design, reporting, and hub culture - still in use by successive hub leadership.