Shane O'Connor
Shane O'Connor
Explain what you do in 7 words.
Helping make new tech work for UNICEF.
Where are you from and where are you now?
On my way to Stockholm from Freetown, via Galway.
What you were doing before joining UNICEF?
Before UNICEF, I was CTO of a Mobile Financial Services company, focused on using mobile technology to help address some of the barriers to access to financial services, particularly for marginalised people.
What has been your biggest success in your role at UNICEF?
Getting a dedicated Innovation work plan setup and signed between a UNICEF CO and host Government. Though it might sound like a simple thing, there was a long, long road leading up to the work plan being established and it has, subsequently, made it much easier for the CO to do Innovation programming at national scale. Through this work plan, Sierra Leone has been able to launch multiple projects including implementations of Project Giga, GenU and Reimagine Education. West Africa’s first Drone for Good Corridor was established and a lot of work was done on enhanced use of Machine Learning and Data Science for improved data for decision making in Government.
What was your dream job when you were a child?
To be a pilot. Or a football star. Or a ninja. I would have been happy with any of those. Maybe a flying Ninja football star.
What is your hidden skill / talent?
I can tie (and untie) a good knot. From years of sailing....I love a good bowline.