Rohan Oza Joins Impact Network as Special Advisor


NEW YORK, Nov. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rohan Oza, noted entrepreneur, investor, and brand builder behind some of the world’s most iconic brands, joins Impact Network International as a Special Advisor. This announcement was made at Impact Network’s 8th Annual Chefs for Impact Gala, supporting more than 6,000 students in rural Zambia.

Impact Network is a nonprofit organization that believes all children deserve access to quality education. They developed the eSchool 360 model - a holistic, innovative and proven education model currently running in 40+ schools in rural Zambia, where Oza was born and raised. Oza, dubbed “Hollywood’s Brandfather” by the Hollywood Reporter, is a global pioneer in celebrity equity deals, and is known for transforming groundbreaking consumer products into household names. He is also passionate about helping nonprofits that are making a lasting impact in Africa without breaking the bank. He hosts an annual nonprofit gala at his residence which has raised more than $1 million in 2 years.

“I am excited to join Impact Network as a special advisor,” said Oza. “It is great to find an organization doing innovative work in the education space in rural Zambia. These are some of the hardest to reach rural areas where many children do not have access to education. I am impressed with the organization’s ability to scale their model so quickly – in the last two years, they have grown from 9 to 40+ schools, and they have done so at the incredibly low cost of less than $5 a month per student. It’s great to see each and every donor dollar go such a long way and make such a significant impact.”

“We are thrilled to work with Rohan Oza,” said Reshma Patel, Impact Network’s Executive Director. “It is an exciting time for the organization as we are expanding rapidly with a randomized control trial evaluation, conducted by American Institutes for Research. We aim to scale the model, prove its effectiveness, and work with the government to implement it across the country. Rohan brings a unique perspective to our work, given his firsthand knowledge of the communities in which we work and his business expertise which will help guide the organization as we continue to grow.”

About Impact Network

Impact Network was launched in 2009 and now operates over 40 schools serving more than 6,000 students at a monthly cost of just $5 a student. Their eSchool 360 model was specifically designed and proven to provide a higher quality education at a lower cost than other options in the most rural areas of Zambia. They employ more than 170 local teachers and are one of the largest local employers of teachers, providing much-needed economic opportunities in areas with no formal economy. In 2015, an independent group of researchers from American University concluded that Impact Network’s 10 pilot schools improve the numeracy and literacy skills of students by 75% and 44% respectively at 1/3 of the costs of government schools. In 2017, bolstered by these findings, the Board of American Institutes for Research (AIR) funded an expansion project to bring the eSchool 360 to 35 new schools across three districts in Zambia. To determine the impact of the program using a more rigorous evaluation, AIR designed and implemented a randomized controlled trial to determine the impact of the program on children’s learning outcomes.

For more information, visit www.impactnetwork.org

About Rohan Oza

Rohan Oza is the mastermind behind some of the most iconic brands in the consumer space today. His revolutionary expertise has led him to appear on numerous national television shows, including his appearance as a guest judge on the hit TV show Shark Tank. Oza’s unique philosophy, ideas, and strategy have earned billions for corporations, brands, and celebrities alike. In 2002, after six years at The Coca Cola Company, Oza left to become partner and Chief Marketing Officer of then-fledgling beverage company Glacéau. From this position he helped build the powerhouse brands Vitaminwater and Smartwater through trailblazing partnerships with celebrities including 50 Cent, Jennifer Aniston, LeBron James, and Tom Brady. Oza’s career came full circle when, five years later, The Coca Cola Company purchased Glacéau for $4.1 billion. Born and raised in Zambia, and of Indian descent, Rohan Oza has accumulated numerous prestigious honors throughout his decades-long career, including being named on: Crain’s “40 Under 40,” Brandweek’s Top Ten Marketers, Ad Age’s “Marketing 50” and many more. Oza was educated in the U.K. at Harrow School and Nottingham University and earned an MBA in the United States at the University of Michigan.

Contact and Media Inquiries:
Katie Kerr | VP of External Affairs
katie@impactnetwork.org
(917) 539-1466

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/234ae033-ed57-4fed-b0c4-cee844b787f0

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