Ola Popoola New Executive Director of Procurement Strategic Transformation & Operations
UC Systemwide Procurement (SWP) is thrilled to welcome Ola Popoola as the Executive Director of Procurement Strategic Transformation & Operations as of November 4, 2024. Ola will be responsible for the development and delivery of the Procurement organization’s strategic planning, systemwide programs and initiatives, and business operations oversight. With over 24 years of experience driving innovation and transformational change in IT and business operations in both the United States and the UK, and over 13 years of experience at the UC Office of the President (UCOP), Ola brings a wealth of expertise to this vital leadership role.
Ola’s background encompasses a broad range of industries, including education, human resources, procurement, finance, insurance, shipping, and logistics. Ola has a proven track record of transforming business systems and delivering results. She is known for modernizing IT and business data architecture, strategy, and operations with work that spans multiple ERP platforms, business intelligence, data governance, and analytics implementations.
Most recently, Ola served as Senior Director of Data Strategy, Management, and Governance in Institutional Research & Academic Planning (IRAP) at UCOP, where she spearheaded the implementation of IT best practices across the University. Her leadership in delivering private cloud services and data solutions ensured compliance while aligning business goals with IT innovation.
In her role as a Sr. Business Systems Manager with Systemwide Procurement a decade ago, Ola led the P200 Program, a multi-year project that exceeded its $200M savings goal in its first year. Her expertise helped achieve these significant savings through more strategic procurement practices, the deployment of a centralized procurement platform across UC locations, and the creation of systems and tracking mechanisms to measure and report performance.
Previously, Ola served as a Lead Business Intelligence Analyst within IRAP’s Decision Support Systems division and played a significant role in developing the University’s Enterprise Data Warehouse. She has also held prominent roles in the UK, leading teams on critical logistics system projects for major mail and parcel delivery companies, along with positions in county government, the Oakland Unified School district, insurance and retail.
Ola holds a master’s degree in information technology, a master’s degree in psychology from the UK, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from UC Davis. Ola is also trained in advanced project management, conflict management, leadership and effective coaching.
Beyond her professional achievements, Ola enjoys running and home improvement activities, along with reading, writing, and Netflix movie marathons. Her favorite moments are those spent with her family, sharing laughs and reminiscing about childhood memories.
We are excited to have Ola's seasoned leadership back within UC Systemwide Procurement as we continue to enhance our operations and drive transformative strategies for the future. Welcome, Ola!