PhD, Public Administration & Management
University of Pretoria
Governance and modernization of social protection administration. 2018 — 2023.
Hello, I am
Luis
Frota
Programme Manager in Social Protection, Innovation & Digital Transformation
01 — Profile
Two decades building social protection systems
Luis Frota has over two decades of senior experience in social protection and institutional development with the International Labour Organization and related international organizations.
Previously, he served as ILO Manager in Beijing (2019–2022), heading a programme on strengthening China's institutional capacity for universal social protection funded by the European Union. His earlier roles include Senior Social Protection Specialist for Eastern and Southern Africa in Pretoria, Social Security Specialist for Western Africa in Senegal, and Social Protection Manager at UNICEF Angola. Luis also manages the Innovation Hub at the International Social Security Association.
02 — Experience
Key Roles
- Present
Programme Manager, Innovation & Digital Transformation
International Labour Organization
- Present
Innovation Hub Manager
International Social Security Association (ISSA)
- 2019 — 2022
ILO Manager, Beijing
EU-funded programme on universal social protection in China
- —
Senior Social Protection Specialist
Eastern & Southern Africa — Pretoria, South Africa
- —
Social Security Specialist
Western Africa — Dakar, Senegal
- —
Social Protection Manager
UNICEF Angola
03 — Education
Academic background
MPA, Public Administration & International Development
University of York
Prize for Best Dissertation. 2014 — 2017.
MSc, Social Policy & Planning
London School of Economics
1997 — 1998.
BSc, Economics
Nova School of Business & Economics
Lisbon, Portugal.
Executive Education
Executive courses on Digital Transformation at Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge and Wharton.
04 — Lectures & Speaking
Sharing knowledge across the globe
Fieldwork and capacity building with practitioners in Eastern Africa.
I lecture and speak regularly on universal social protection, governance, and the digital transformation of public administration — connecting policy, technology, and people.
- Universal social protection & financing
- Digital transformation of social security
- Institutional capacity building
- Governance & service delivery reform
- Innovation in public administration
9 June 2026
Corporate Social Responsibility in Social Security
I had the privilege of delivering a lecture to 40 students of the Postgraduate Program in Strategic Management of Social Security at Católica Luanda Business School, a new program developed in partnership with Angola's National Social Security Institute (INSS).
Our discussion focused on a question that is increasingly relevant for social security institutions worldwide: how can they generate value beyond the payment of benefits? We explored the role of responsible investment, sustainable and citizen-centred operations, and the importance of building institutional legitimacy through transparency, trust, and engagement with stakeholders.
2013 – 2020
Wits School of Governance, Johannesburg
External Lecturer and Examiner in Social Security Policy and Administration under the ILO–Wits collaboration framework.
2022
China University of Labor Relations, Beijing
Discussing international experiences in social protection, coverage expansion, governance, and reform pathways with students and faculty.
2023
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Teaching Social Security Governance: Current Status and Ongoing Changes in the Master's in Social Protection program.
Over the years, I have worked on many social security reforms, advisory projects, and institutional transformation initiatives. Yet few things have given me as much satisfaction as helping build knowledge and leadership capacity in the sector. The opportunity to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, learn from participants, and contribute — however modestly — to the development of future leaders remains one of the most meaningful aspects of my professional journey.
"A special mention to Luis Frota, whose commitment ensured that we not only understood the material but could also apply it in practice. He listened carefully and asked the questions that challenged us to think more deeply."
05 — Writing
Articles & essays
Selected writing on social protection, AI, digital transformation, and the human side of public service.
Data Privacy and Human Dignity — and Why Social Protection Matters
We are living through a moment of real unease about what digital systems are doing to the human person.
by Luis Frota · 9 min read
Transformation in service delivery: back to basics
When I filed a car insurance claim, a few months back, the digital platform reminded me what good service feels like.
by Luis Frota · 6 min read
Leadership for more effective AI adoption in social security
AI is an innovation domain par excellence. A foundational technology that requires deliberate leadership.
by Luis Frota · 7 min read
A more empathetic social security with AI: what could go wrong?
The second article in a series on building a more empathetic social security with AI at its core.
by Luis Frota · 12 min read
AI: a more inclusive and empathetic social security?
Social security administrations are always under pressure to deliver more, faster and with fewer resources.
by Luis Frota · 5 min read
Embedded social security systems
Throughout my career assisting governments and social security institutions, I've seen the rise of embedded systems.
by Luis Frota · 3 min read
Innovation ecosystems in social security
This article presents and compares innovation ecosystems in private and public social security institutions.
by Luis Frota · 4 min read
06 — Fiction
Stories & creative writing
Beyond policy papers and programme reports, I write short fiction — exploring memory, displacement, and the quiet human moments that sit beneath institutional change.
The Distance Between Stations
A short story about two strangers on a night train crossing borders they no longer recognise.
Field Notes
A cycle of flash fiction pieces drawn from decades of work in unfamiliar rooms and foreign cities.
What the Clerk Remembered
A bureaucrat in a social security office pieces together a life from faded forms and lost files.
Running in the Dark
A runner training alone before dawn confronts a figure from a previous chapter of his life.
The Translator
An interpreter at international negotiations begins to suspect the real conversation is happening in the margins.
Letters from Pretoria
Epistolary fiction: a researcher writes home, and the home he writes to no longer quite exists.
07 — Beyond work
Interests, sports & hobbies
Trail running
Trails and the quiet kilometres in between. Preferred distances: 10K and 12K.
Languages & cultures
Lived and worked across Europe, Africa and Asia.
Reading
History, public policy, and contemporary fiction.
Badminton and Tennis
Competitive play and the rhythm of the court.
Hiking & the outdoors
Mountains and coastlines whenever the calendar allows.
Mentoring
Supporting early-career professionals in development.
08 — Contact
Let's talk.
For speaking invitations, advisory work, lectures or collaborations, I'd be glad to hear from you.
- luifrota@gmail.com
- Based in
- Geneva, Switzerland
- linkedin.com/in/luisfrota
© 2026 Luis Frota. All rights reserved.Social Protection · Innovation · Digital Transformation