Reynolds Kihura is the Data & Product Strategist for the WRI Africa Cities Program, where he guides the strategic direction of data products and programs, working closely with the WRI Data Lab and the Urban Data & Tools team at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Reynolds brings over a decade of cross-sector experience in product innovation and management, having worked across the development sector, financial services, education, and human capital services sectors. Throughout his career, he has managed full product development lifecycles for data and digital products using human-centered design techniques, agile methodologies, data and AI analytics, and systems thinking, anchored by a strong belief in the power of learning, collaboration, and purposeful innovation.

Prior to joining WRI, he served as Senior Project Manager at Wingspan Consultancy, an East African regional healthcare management consulting firm, where he led strategy design, market research, and product development for leading insurers and health firms such as AAR Insurance, Britam, Fidelity Shield, M-TIBA, and Pathcare.

Earlier in his career, Reynolds served as Senior Product Manager at Skills Hub Africa, where he led program design, user research, and the development of learning and impact pathways for both the skills development accelerator and the product innovation accelerator. He also held a Program Analyst role at the Mastercard Foundation, supporting the Basic Employability Skills Training (BEST) Program with CAP Institute, as well as a Program Associate role at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya for the Financial Education Program for Youths (FEPY). In both roles, he was responsible for identifying knowledge gaps and innovation opportunities, and embedding learnings and user feedback into program and product design.

Reynolds holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Kenyatta University and a Product Manager Certification (PMC)™️ from Product School. He is currently pursuing a Master of Data Science at the University of East London. Outside of work, Reynolds is an avid reader who enjoys nature walks, swimming, and exploring new culinary experiences. He is a lifelong learner and a firm believer in the Namibian proverb: “Learning makes a great soul.”