Aftab Opel

Aftab is currently the Country Director of IPA Philippines and Bangladesh Country Programs. Aftab has nearly three decades of experience in the development sector working on the implementation and evaluation of programs in the areas of social and economic development across Asia. Prior to joining IPA, he was the first Country Director of VisionSpring Bangladesh, a social enterprise that works in different sectors to find a market-based solution to bring the wonder of clear vision to the people living on less than $4 a day. Prior to that, as Head of Programmes at WaterAid Bangladesh, he designed and oversaw a wide range of programs addressing different aspects of water, sanitation, and hygiene in different vulnerable and emergency contexts. As WASH Sector Leader for SNV in Laos, he managed multiple programs that were building local capacity and generating behavior change. He also developed an alternative livelihoods program for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) in Afghanistan. Aftab also brings a deep background as a social scientist. He has authored several book chapters and published numerous research articles in different leading peer-reviewed journals, on topics ranging from poverty in Bangladesh and Laos to cross-border migration in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.