Armelle Otou
Armelle Otou has a strong background in economics and public policy, having earned both a BA and an MS in these disciplines. Originally from Cameroon, Armelle's interest in microinsurance and risk protection was sparked a decade ago during an internship at the MicroInsurance Centre. As a senior research intern, she leveraged her quantitative skills on projects such as the Landscape of Microinsurance in Africa, which required her to clean, analyze, and synthesize raw data from over 200 countries.
Since rejoining MIC@M in 2023, Armelle has significantly expanded her knowledge in microinsurance, traveling to countries, including Comoros, Ghana, and Nigeria to engage with stakeholders and champion microinsurance and risk management for low-income individuals.
She is currently leading the development of comprehensive qualitative data analysis guidelines for MIC@M.
Experience
Prior to joining MIC@M as a project manager and consultant, Armelle spent over eight years working as a researcher and data analyst. She developed immense interest in data analytics, recognizing its potential to benefit society and its role in shaping policies that promote development among low-income communities. Specializing in econometrics and empirical research, Armelle honed her skills in statistical programming languages such as SAS, STATA, and R.
In her leisure time, Armelle is an avid hiker and traveler with a personal mission to explore every African country and climb as many mountains as possible.
- Project Manager and Consultant - Key Contracted Personnel at the MicroInsurance Centre at Milliman (MIC@M)
- MS, Economics and Policy Analysis, 2019, The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business - DePaul University - Chicago, IL
- BA, Economics; Government (International Relations), 2014,Lawrence University - Appleton, WI
- Microinsurance Network's Making Insurance Work for Women Best Practices Group, Luxembourg (2024-present)
- MilliWomen ERG, USA (2024-present)
- Centre of Excellence on Gender-smart Solutions (CoE) - Gender Working Group (2024-present)
- DePaul Women in Economics, USA (2019-present)