Young Systems Leader: Adebowale

Adebowale Alfred Adekunle doesn’t just work with data, he translates it into stories that move people to act. As the current Global Data and Reporting Lead at VisionSpring, he works across a diverse and rich cultural environment to design and manage the performance systems that support eye health programs across 10 countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Together, these programs reach millions of people every year.

His work is guided by a clear conviction: when intentionally connected, routine processes become a structured system capable of driving exceptional outcomes more impact is made. To him, impact is in the lives touched. This conviction was forged during the COVID-19 pandemic where he worked with the Oyo State Emergency Operations Centre in Nigeria. Alongside colleagues from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention he managed reporting pipelines that guided statewide crisis response. It was fast-paced, crucial work and it showed him how quickly things fall apart when the people making decisions can’t see what’s actually happening on the ground.

That experience stuck with him and shaped his approach to consequent roles such as his time with Eleta Eye Institute, where he was first exposed to the problem of eye health coverage. Working with the programs/outreach team, he introduced a digital data system that cut report turnaround time from months to near real-time and trained more than 30 outreach staff to use it. The speed mattered, but what mattered more was watching people start to trust and use the data they collect from their own activities.

Over the course of his career, Alfred has grown from being used to working in small teams to cross-functional and -culturally rich teams. Yet his convictions remain the same. It is with this clarity, efficiency, and transparency he works across VisionSpring’s diverse market to continuously ensure performance systems support people in need of clear vision. Some of his recent achievements involve working with a robust team, in the successful mobilization and ongoing implementation of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vision Initiative – a global initiative to screen over 11 million people through multiple partners and across several countries.

Looking towards the future, Alfred champions what he calls “data democracy” – equipping managers with self-servicing tools that allow them to identify trends early and act decisively. For him, this is ultimately about equity. When those closest to the people can understand and use their own data, they can advocate effectively for the communities they serve.