Asad Hassan
Strategic Communications, Programme Management, Partnership Development
Oxford
Summary
A storyteller by instinct, a strategist by training. My work has always involved the shaping of narratives, whether in the service of journalism, institutional communications, or programme management. I have spent years moving between worlds—between the academy and the public, between Africa and the West, between those who study problems and those who live them. In each, I have sought clarity, coherence, and purpose. My expertise lies in fostering connections: between scholars and institutions, between research and policy, between ambition and opportunity. The work is always, at its heart, about transition—guiding individuals and organisations from one state of being to another, ensuring the passage is not just smooth but meaningful.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Language
Work History
Communications Officer
Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx)
03.2024 - 07.2024
- Worked at the intersection of research and public engagement, translating complex ideas into accessible narratives.
- Developed communication strategies that gave form and urgency to the work of African scholars.
- Ensured that partnerships—so often abstractions in bureaucratic language—became living, functional relationships.
- Acted as a bridge between institutional ambition and the lived reality of scholars navigating new academic and professional landscapes.
Contributing Editor
Africa Arguments
09.2023 - 03.2024
- Launched and managed My Town, a series of personal essays on African cities
- Edited, proofread, and fact-checked articles to maintain high editorial standards
- Sourced and commissioned content from writers across Africa
Fellow, Office of the Dean
Princeton University
01.2020 - 05.2022
- Managed initiatives designed to ease student transitions, particularly for those unfamiliar with elite institutions and their unspoken codes.
- Administered a speaker programme that brought policymakers, writers, and intellectuals to campus—introducing students to the world beyond the university.
- Wrote stories that documented the experiences of those who might otherwise have remained invisible: cafeteria workers, cleaners, security guards.
Reporter
Daily Nation
05.2013 - 09.2017
- Travelled across Kenya to uncover the narratives that lay beneath official statements and institutional reports.
- Maintained a network of sources—people who trusted me not simply to report but to understand.
- Managed the newspaper’s social media accounts, shaping public discourse in real time.
- Oversaw the 'Letters to the Editor' section, engaging daily with the concerns and voices of ordinary readers.
Education
MSc - Refugee and Forced Migration
University of Oxford
01.2022 - 01.2023
BA - English Literature
Princeton University
01.2018 - 01.2022
Skills
- Narrative Strategy
- Institutional Communications
- Partnership Building
- Research & Policy Analysis
- Digital Engagement
- Programme Development
- Public Speaking
Timeline
Communications Officer
Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx)
03.2024 - 07.2024
Contributing Editor
Africa Arguments
09.2023 - 03.2024
MSc - Refugee and Forced Migration
University of Oxford
01.2022 - 01.2023
Fellow, Office of the Dean
Princeton University
01.2020 - 05.2022
BA - English Literature
Princeton University
01.2018 - 01.2022
Reporter
Daily Nation
05.2013 - 09.2017
Similar Profiles
Benjamin ChibunduBenjamin Chibundu
Program Administrative/Finance Manager at Youth Initiative for Sust. Human Devt. in AfricaProgram Administrative/Finance Manager at Youth Initiative for Sust. Human Devt. in Africa
Samantha S. StringerSamantha S. Stringer
Program Officer at American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative, Africa DivisionProgram Officer at American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative, Africa Division
Joshua Daniel LaizerJoshua Daniel Laizer
Indigenous People Land Rights Program Lead (Remote at Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YIlaA)Indigenous People Land Rights Program Lead (Remote at Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YIlaA)