Naila Govan-Vassen is the Deputy Director at Research ICT Africa (RIA), where she plays a central role in strengthening the organisation’s executive leadership, institutional resilience, and long-term strategic direction. Since joining RIA in 2019 as Research Manager, and later serving as Operations Director from 2023, she has been a cornerstone of the organisation’s growth, overseeing the development of robust governance frameworks, operational systems, and project management structures that support RIA’s expanding research and policy agenda.
In her role as Deputy Director, Govan-Vassen works closely with the Executive Director and Research Director to advance RIA’s sustainability, innovation agenda, and institutional development. Her responsibilities include supporting strategic planning, strengthening alignment between research, policy engagement, and operations, deepening partnerships with funders and collaborators, and ensuring organisational readiness in a rapidly evolving digital policy environment. She continues to provide executive oversight across RIA’s portfolio of multi-country research programmes, while playing a key role in translating organisational vision into effective institutional practice.
Govan-Vassen has led the management of complex grants and research, coordinated flagship initiatives such as the After Access surveys, and worked closely with finance and research teams to ensure accountability, compliance, and impact. Prior to joining RIA, she was a Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan in the ICT sector, specialising in market analysis, regulatory frameworks, and strategic advisory work across multiple regions.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Science in Marketing and is currently completing an MBA at the University of Edinburgh.
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