Senior Affordable Housing Specialist at FSD Kenya
Seeta brings over 20 years of international real estate experience focusing on affordable housing investment, policy and research. Her practical exper...
Read more Vice President, Housing Growth, Development & Asset Sustainability at WoodGreen Community Services
Mwarigha has 20 years of experience and is a recognized thought leader in the national and international affordable housing sector – including Urban L...
Read more Chief Finance Officer at Family Homes Funds Limited
Nkeiru Arum is a real estate and finance professional with 36 years’ experience in real estate valuation, corporate finance, and accounting. She worke...
Read more Secretary General at European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council
Luca Bertalot is Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC), representing the interests of EU mo...
Read more CEO of Easy Housing
Wolf is an impact entrepreneur and engineer with a passion for people, technology and the environment. He is educated and specialised in sustainable (...
Read more Senior Investment Officer at IFC PPP Transaction Advisory
Jacques has 25 years of working experience gained in various positions in Africa, the United States and Latin America. He has gained extensive transac...
Read more Director-African Business Development of Western Forms Inc
Over 20 years of experience in international development including positions in the entrepreneurial, private-sector, consulting, and governmental aren...
Read more Chief Operating Officer at CAHF
Dr. Dorman Chimhamhiwa is a result driven individual, with 29 years working experience across multiple African countries and diverse fields. He is cur...
Read more Deputy Chief of Staff at African Urban Lab
Heba is a deputy chief of staff and a researcher at the Africa Urban Lab. Her research interests lie in human settlements, culture, heritage, communit...
Read more Principal, DLE Advisors and Director of Chrysalis Housing Impact Accelerator
Debra Erb provides advisory services to enterprises working to increase access to safe, affordable housing in sustainable communities around the world...
Read more Development & Housing Specialist at Private Company
David Gardner is a development and housing specialist based in South Africa. David has fifteen years’ experience in the low-income housing arena in So...
Read more CEO of Shelter Afrique
Habib Hann, originally from Guinea (Conakry), officially assumed the role of MD/CEO at Shelter Afrique in January 2023. With over two decades of exper...
Read more Group Sales Director of Hydraform
Mabuse Hlalele is an accomplished sales, marketer and business development executive, with a diverse portfolio in industries such as construction, man...
Read more Director of International Housing Finance Program University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School
Drs. Marja Hoek-Smit is the Founder and Emeritus Director of the International Housing Finance Program, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and...
Read more Deputy Secretary General at European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council
Jennifer Johnson is Deputy Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC), representing the interest...
Read more CEO of Empowa
Impact entrepreneur. Passionate about developing and empowering people through technology, skills development and income opportunities.
Read more Founder of Richard Kemmish Consulting Limited
Richard Kemmish is an independent covered bond consultant which is a deliberately vague description of various bits and pieces mainly covered bond or ...
Read more CEO of Diversity Urban Property Group
Carel is the CEO of Divercity Urban Property Group – a leading developer of, and investor in well-located affordable rental housing in South Africa. D...
Read more CEO of Transcend Residential Property Fund
He also is CEO of Transcend Residential Property Fund, a specialist residential REIT that owns and operates approximately 4,000 Multifamily rental apa...
Read more Kenya Country Manager at 14Trees
With over 10 years of experience in projects and operations management across Africa, Ghislain has specialized in leading 3D printing initiatives that...
Read more Consultant at IHS
Ms. Pamela Ann Lamoreaux joined International Housing Solutions (based in South Africa) in 2007, which is the general partner of several green, afford...
Read more Director Sustainable Finance of Bangladesh Bank
Chowdhury Liakat Ali is working in Sustainable Finance Department (SFD) of Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank of Bangladesh). He joined Bangladesh Bank in ...
Read more Head of Product at FNB South Africa
A Management and Strategy Executive, skilled in business start up and development. A strategic leader with excellent communication skills who believes...
Read more Founding Director of Zima Homes Kenya
Etta Madete is a Kenyan housing developer, architect, and sustainable development expert, passionate about systemic solutions to the housing crisis th...
Read more Director for Financial Policy & Regulation of Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter
Patrick has over 20 years’ experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors advancing residential mortgage, financial inclusion, and the enabl...
Read more Chief Executive Officer at Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company Limited (TMRC)
With nearly 20 years of commercial real estate and financial services experience, Oscar Mgaya, who took on the role of CEO of the Tanzania Mortgage Re...
Read more Associate Director-Housing Finance of Habitat for Humanity International
Daniel Mhina is a seasoned development finance expert with more than 15 years of experience in digital financial services, market systems developments...
Read more Housing Finance Specialist at IFC
ictor Mints is a Housing Finance Specialist at IFC, where he has mostly worked in Central Asia, advising governments, central banks, and financial ins...
Read more CEO of Hodhi Inc
Mao Ngamau Mukuria is a member of the Africa Business Community, one of Africa’s most important business networks. I am the Co-Founder and CEO of Hodh...
Read more Programme Manager: Open Access Project Manager at CAHF
Read more Research Manager at Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa
Read more Principal at Miyamoto International
I specialize in the intricate design, financing, and implementation of transformative urban programs. My journey has taken me from the challenging pos...
Read more Chief Executive Officer at NIGERIA MORTGAGE REFINANCE COMPANY
Kehinde Ogundimu is an award-winning professional with over 30 years of corporate work experience spanning financial advisory services, oil & gas and ...
Read more Green Buildings Specialist-Consultant at IFC
Paul operates at the interface between environmental and social risk and Sustainability where he focuses on technical assessment and building the capa...
Read more Director of Altair International
With over 30 years of experience in the housing industry, Olu Olanrewaju, Director of Altair International, has left a significant imprint on both the...
Read more CEO of Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company PLC
Johnstone Oltetia (Jo) is the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director at Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company PLC. He also serves as a Non-Executive D...
Read more Director: Retail Banking of CRDB Bank
Bonaventure Paul is an accomplished Director of Retail Banking with over 15 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He has a strong trac...
Read more Managing Director of Hypoport Africa
Hypoport Africa was founded in 2010. With the same idealism as the PRoMMiSe platform technology was developed starting in 2002, Christiaan Pennekamp a...
Read more Executive Director of UN Habitat (United Nations Human Settlement Programme)
Anacláudia Rossbach (Brazil) is the Executive Director of UN-Habitat and an economist with over 20 years of experience in housing, informal settlement...
Read more Executive Director & Founder of Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa
Kecia Rust is the Executive Director and founder of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF). She is a housing policy specialist and...
Read more Head: Social, Health & Education at Development Bank of Southern Africa
Palesa Ryan is the Coverage Head: Social, Health and Education at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). DBSA is a state-owned development ba...
Read more CEO of iBUILD Global Inc.
Lew has throughout his career been an innovative social entrepreneur, tackling diverse social problems in multiple industries. That experience over a ...
Read more President at WIRE
Eng. Segero, a registered Professional Civil Engineer, leads as President of Kenya's Women In Real Estate Society. She holds a bachelor’s degree from ...
Read more Director Regional Office for Africa of UN Habitat (United Nations Human Settlement Programme)
Since January 2020 Oumar Sylla has been acting as Director for the Regional Office for Africa in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Ha...
Read more Director Financial Conduct Supervision of The Central Bank of Zambia
Ms. Freda Tamba is Chartered Accountant Fellow of ZICA with a Masters of Business Degree and an Associate member of the Association of Corporate Treas...
Read more President at National Homes Mortgage Finance Company
Read more VP Programs , Africa & Middle East at Build Change
Noll is a senior international development professional who draws his primary motivation from innovation and from developing concepts that improve eff...
Read more Managing Director of Plotify Global Limited
Michael is an African entrepreneur and Investment Banker who's worked across the continent raising finance for regional banks and companies as well as...
Read more Lead Financial Sector Specialist, Finance & Markets at World Bank
Simon Walley joined the World Bank in 2006 – his role has been varied covering a range of countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central Asia...
Read more Executive Director of HDFC
Stephen Wanjala is an experienced financial inclusion expert with over 30 years in finance, technology, and development. As the Executive Director of ...
Read more President Director of PT Sarana Multigriya Finansial (Persero)
Ananta Wiyogo, with over 30 years of experience in finance, has held key positions in various organizations. His career began in the Oil & Gas Industr...
Read more Vice President at The Affordable Housing Institute
Davina Wood joined AHI in 2018 and now serves as the firm’s Vice President. Davina specializes in affordable housing finance, management, and strategy...
Read more
Seeta ShahSenior Affordable Housing Specialist at FSD Kenya Seeta brings over 20 years of international real estate experience focusing on affordable housing investment, policy and research. Her practical experience in the field allows her to facilitate engagement between government, private sector, DFIs, NGOs and the wider public, to improve the enabling environment for affordable housing. Seeta has an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Cambridge, and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Institution of Surveyors of Kenya. She serves voluntarily on the Board of Friends of City Park.
MwarighaVice President, Housing Growth, Development & Asset Sustainability at WoodGreen Community Services Mwarigha has 20 years of experience and is a recognized thought leader in the national and international affordable housing sector – including Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Toronto’s Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD). He currently leads WoodGreen’s strategy to build 5000 affordable housing units through development, private partnerships, and acquisitions in this decade. Mwarigha also leads WoodGreen’s national award-winning Asset Sustainability & Climate Change strategy for its innovative green, affordable & sustainable building modernization success. He is an active volunteer/civic leader in the housing agenda of the Black community in Canada and the cause to end homelessness in Toronto. Mwarigha has a master’s degree in urban planning University of Zimbabwe & Urban Geography University of Windsor Ontario.
Nkeiruka ArumChief Finance Officer at Family Homes Funds Limited Nkeiru Arum is a real estate and finance professional with 36 years’ experience in real estate valuation, corporate finance, and accounting. She worked as an estate surveyor and valuer in Nigeria before transiting to Deloitte & Touchė to become a chartered accountant. With these two proficiencies, she worked with global Fortune 500 companies like Schlumberger (SLB) and L3Harris Technologies. Her wide experience now spans management roles in social housing, telecommunications, oil & gas, and financial consulting sectors. She is a Fellow of both Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and National Institute of Credit Administration
Luca BertalotSecretary General at European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council Luca Bertalot is Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC), representing the interests of EU mortgage lenders and the covered bond community in discussions with the European Institutions and stakeholders in general on all issues relating to the retail and funding sides of the mortgage business. Established in 1967, the EMF is the voice of the European mortgage industry, providing data and information on European mortgage markets, which were worth over €9 trillion at the end of 2023 (EU27 + UK, Norway and Iceland). In 2004 the EMF founded the ECBC, a platform that brings together covered bond market participants including issuers, analysts, investment bankers, rating agencies and a wide range of interested stakeholders. ECBC members represent over 95% of covered bonds outstanding, which were worth over €3.3 trillion at the end of 2023. In his capacity as EMF-ECBC Secretary General, Luca is also Consortium Coordinator for the Energy Efficient Mortgages Initiative (EEMI) and oversees the administration of the International Secondary Mortgage Market Association (ISMMA) for which the EMF-ECBC currently provides the Secretariat. In addition, Luca is a member of the European Commission’s Sustainable Energy Investment (SEI) Forum’s Advisory Group, the Advisory Board of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice’s Economics Department and a member of the Board of the Housing Finance Network (HOFINET). Luca joined the EMF-ECBC in 2006, becoming Head of the ECBC in 2007 and was appointed Secretary General in 2014. Prior to this, he worked as a financial analyst in Italy and Australia. Luca holds a degree in Economics and Financial Markets from the University of Rome, Tor Vergata. He also studied at the University of Mannheim, Germany, and at the Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania, in the United States.
Wolf BierensCEO of Easy Housing Wolf is an impact entrepreneur and engineer with a passion for people, technology and the environment. He is educated and specialised in sustainable (timber) housing, carbon markets, environmental technology and renewable energy. Wolf is the founder of Easy Housing (2020), which is a circular and biobased building concept based on sustainably sourced timber. The mission is to make sustainable affordable housing accessible across Sub-Saharan Africa. Wolf is a co-founder of Sustainer Homes (2015) of which he was CTO until mid 2020 and is currently in the advisory board. He was listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2017 and twice on the Sustainable Young 100 (DJ100) in The Netherlands, in 2016 and 2020 and was an MIT Solver in 2022.
Jacques BleindouSenior Investment Officer at IFC PPP Transaction Advisory Jacques has 25 years of working experience gained in various positions in Africa, the United States and Latin America. He has gained extensive transaction advisory services, corporate finance, investment, valuation, financial analysis and M&A experience as a Director in the Deal Advisory Department at KPMG Chile and Ghana; and as a Senior Investment Officer with IFC. Prior to joining IFC, he was involved in transactions in various sectors including power generation, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Retail, Real Estate, Financial Services, Healthcare, etc. Since joining IFC he has led / is leading PPP transactions in Transportation, Housing, Water, Energy and Waste management sectors. He is currently leading the Djibouti Affordable Housing PPP project and the Malawi Student Accommodation project. Jacques holds an MBA in Finance from the NYU Stern University and a Bachelor in business administration from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst, CFA® and a Certified Public Accountant (USA & France).
Joe ChapuranDirector-African Business Development of Western Forms Inc Over 20 years of experience in international development including positions in the entrepreneurial, private-sector, consulting, and governmental arenas. Worked with numerous companies to help them succeed and grow in the global economy by way of exports, joint ventures, technology transfers, strategic alliances, new market entry, and foreign direct investment. Experience in international finance and export development involving institutions such as ITF, TDA, EXIM, IFC, Africa Trade Insurance Agency, AFREXIM, Japanese Development Bank, EBRD, as well as private-sector banks and leasing companies, and also various ECAs including EXIM, SERV, ECIC, ETIHAD, and SINOSURE. Long history of working with international development organizations, as well technology and start-up focused groups. Examples include JETRO, CCPIT, Startup Grind, Midwest International Trade Association, SCORE, Midlands Venture Forum, Invest Nebraska, and numerous international and regional chambers of commerce.
Dorman ChimhamhiwaChief Operating Officer at CAHF Dr. Dorman Chimhamhiwa is a result driven individual, with 29 years working experience across multiple African countries and diverse fields. He is currently the Chief Operations officer at CHAF.
Heba ElhanafyDeputy Chief of Staff at African Urban Lab Heba is a deputy chief of staff and a researcher at the Africa Urban Lab. Her research interests lie in human settlements, culture, heritage, community, and urban development. She has a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Alexandria University and a master’s degree in Urban Development from the Technical University of Berlin. She has worked on a variety of urban development and research projects with regional and international organizations.
Debra ErbPrincipal, DLE Advisors and Director of Chrysalis Housing Impact Accelerator Debra Erb provides advisory services to enterprises working to increase access to safe, affordable housing in sustainable communities around the world. She is also the Director of AHI’s Chrysalis Housing Impact Accelerator. Debra was the Managing Director of Community Infrastructure for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation for 21 years. During that time Debra and her team committed nearly $3 billion in debt transactions representing 31 countries, including construction project finance, mortgage facilities, mortgage insurance and capital markets transactions. She has recently joined the Shelter Afrique Advisory Council and the board of Green City Homes International, an affiliate of Reall. She is also a member of a team of experts working with George Washington University to strengthen ESG capacity in housing enterprises.
David GardnerDevelopment & Housing Specialist at Private Company David Gardner is a development and housing specialist based in South Africa. David has fifteen years’ experience in the low-income housing arena in Southern Africa. His specific areas of interest are policy analysis and development, macroeconomic modelling, institutional strategy development and business planning, housing finance markets in developing countries, sustainable housing development and housing rental markets. David has undertaken consulting commissions for a wide range of public, private and non-governmental organisations in Southern Africa. David has a BsC (Town and Regional Planning) from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and a Diploma in Management from Henley Management College (United Kingdom).
Habib Hann, originally from Guinea (Conakry), officially assumed the role of MD/CEO at Shelter Afrique in January 2023. With over two decades of experience in the banking sector and multilateral financial institutions, he played a pivotal role in housing finance and capital markets in the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Middle East regions during his tenure at the International Finance Corporation. Habib also contributed significantly to shaping housing finance strategies globally, including the US, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. His distinguished career includes positions at the World Bank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Arthur Andersen. Habib holds an MBA in Finance & Investments, a master's degree in Accounting and Finance, and a bachelor's degree in Management and Applied Economics. He is a CFA charterholder and passed trading licenses. As a co-founder of "AngelAfrica," Habib is deeply committed to development finance and improving local living standards. Fluent in both French and English, he also possesses a working knowledge of Spanish.
Mabuse HlaleleGroup Sales Director of Hydraform Mabuse Hlalele is an accomplished sales, marketer and business development executive, with a diverse portfolio in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and financial services. Currently serving as the Group Sales Director at Hydraform Group of Companies, he is the driving force behind sales and business development strategies that have enabled the company to grow into Africa and Globally. His ability to craft and implement effective strategies have positioned him
Marja Hoek-SmitDirector of International Housing Finance Program University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School Drs. Marja Hoek-Smit is the Founder and Emeritus Director of the International Housing Finance Program, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and emeritus Adjunct Professor in the Wharton Real Estate Department. She continues to teach executive education programs in housing finance and housing market analysis and is a director and core teacher in the Housing Finance Course for Sub-Saharan Africa at Cape Town University, South Africa. Marja is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Housing Finance Information Network—HOFINET—a global web portal that consolidates international housing finance information and statistical data for public use. HOFINET has recently joined the European Mortgage Federation/European Covered Bond Counsel and International Secondary Mortgage Market Association. Marja is a frequent advisor to governments and private- and non-profit sector clients in Emerging Market and Developing Economies in the field of housing and housing finance policy and subsidy systems, housing market assessments and institutional development of the housing finance system. She is a member of the Advisory Board of Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and on the board of several other NGOs working in the field of affordable housing.
Jennifer JohnsonDeputy Secretary General at European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council Jennifer Johnson is Deputy Secretary General of the European Mortgage Federation - European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC), representing the interests of EU mortgage lenders and the covered bond community in discussions with the European Institutions and stakeholders in general on all issues relating to the retail and funding sides of the mortgage business. Established in 1967, the EMF is the voice of the European mortgage industry, providing data and information on European mortgage markets, which were worth over €9 trillion at the end of 2023 (EU27 + UK, Norway and Iceland). In 2004 the EMF founded the ECBC, a platform that brings together covered bond market participants including issuers, analysts, investment bankers, rating agencies and a wide range of interested stakeholders. ECBC members represent over 95% of covered bonds outstanding, which were worth over €3.3 trillion at the end of 2023. Jennifer joined the EMF-ECBC in 2002 and in her current role as Deputy Secretary General she is responsible for overseeing, in particular, the EMF policy work. She specialises in a range of mortgage-specific issues on both the retail and prudential sides of the business and therefore handles a variety of files from those with a consumer protection focus right through to liquidity, leverage and capital requirements, as well as a broad range of horizontal EU business regulatory files. She also closely follows the EMF-ECBC’s covered bond-related activities and files. Jennifer is furthermore heavily involved in the management of the EMF-ECBC’s Energy Efficient Mortgages Initiative (EEMI). Before joining the EMF-ECBC, she studied French, German and European politics at the University of Wales, Cardiff.
Richard KemmishFounder of Richard Kemmish Consulting Limited Richard Kemmish is an independent covered bond consultant which is a deliberately vague description of various bits and pieces mainly covered bond or occasionally securitisation related. This often involves working with multilateral development banks to help countries introduce new legal frameworks and develop their markets. In addition, he undertakes consultancy work - clients have included private sector banks, the European Commission and the EBRD - and regularly works with Invisso Conferences (formerly known as Euromoney conferences) as an editorial consultant and the ECBC. He is also available as an expert witness and for covered bond training. He has worked in the covered bond market for over 20 years.
Carel KleynhansCEO of Diversity Urban Property Group Carel is the CEO of Divercity Urban Property Group – a leading developer of, and investor in well-located affordable rental housing in South Africa. Divercity owns and manages roughly 7,000 apartments and has over 2,000 new affordable apartments currently in development in Sandton and Cape Town. Carel holds a Masters in Finance from the University of Cambridge where he was a Chevening scholar and has a professional background in corporate finance.
Myles KritzingerCEO of Transcend Residential Property Fund He also is CEO of Transcend Residential Property Fund, a specialist residential REIT that owns and operates approximately 4,000 Multifamily rental apartments. Prior to his appointment as CEO of Transcend, Myles served as the CFO of the company for nearly three years, from the date of original appointment on 9 March 2018. He has nine years’ experience in the multifamily residential housing market and private equity; and was involved in new fund development and formerly a dealmaker for International Housing Solutions.
Ghislain LamarqueKenya Country Manager at 14Trees With over 10 years of experience in projects and operations management across Africa, Ghislain has specialized in leading 3D printing initiatives that drive innovation and efficiency. His expertise lies in overseeing complex 3D printing projects, managing resources, and developing high-performing teams. Passionate about new technology, Ghislain continuously explores cutting-edge solutions to advance 3D printing capabilities and deliver impactful results in the African market.
Pamela LamoreauxConsultant at IHS Ms. Pamela Ann Lamoreaux joined International Housing Solutions (based in South Africa) in 2007, which is the general partner of several green, affordable housing private equity funds in Africa, where she held a number of positions, including ESG Officer. In 2017 she left IHS and returned to the US. Prior to joining IHS, Pamela joined the IFC (private sector arm of the World Bank) to become the first Head of Housing Group, Financial Markets and was based in Washington, DC. In this role she worked in many countries in Africa (including Tanzania, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, and Zambia), Latin America (including Colombia and Mexico) and Asia (including China, India, Viet Nam and Cambodia). Previously, she was the COO of Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation. Prior to that, Pamela spent 12 years at Fannie Mae, in a number of departments, including: servicer reporting, MBS Production, Marketing and with her last position as the Director of Fannie Mae’s International Consulting Group. Ms. Lamoreaux has most recently been working as a consultant to IHS, ADB. DFC, World Bank and others on housing related projects internationally.
Chowdhury LiakatDirector Sustainable Finance of Bangladesh Bank Chowdhury Liakat Ali is working in Sustainable Finance Department (SFD) of Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank of Bangladesh). He joined Bangladesh Bank in 1999. He worked in Department of Banking Regulation and Policy Department, Department of Banking Inspection, Foreign Exchange Inspection Department, Financial Integrity and Customer Services. He also worked in Bangladesh Bank, Chattogram Office. His contribution in the policy formulation and Supervision of the banking industry are acknowledged several times. He was awarded Bangladesh Bank Employee recognition award in 2015. He was the key member in formulating Sustainable finance Policy and Guideline for Sustainability and Climate Related Financial Disclosure for banks and FIs in Bangladesh in 2023, Environmental Social Risk Management (ESRM) Guideline and Green Bond Policy for banks and FIs in 2022. Mr. Chowdhury graduated in Accounting from University of Chittagong. He also completed his Masters from the same University and completed Masters in Business Administration from Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed Certified Expert on Risk Management course jointly organized by Frankfurt School of Business and Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM). He participated in a number international and national seminar as panelist. He is Certified trainer in the area of Supervision, Financial Statement Analysis, Credit Risk Analysis and Sustainable Finance.
Mfundo MabasoHead of Product at FNB South Africa A Management and Strategy Executive, skilled in business start up and development. A strategic leader with excellent communication skills who believes that people are the heart and soul of any organization and is strongly focused on leveraging technology to achieve business objectives.
Etta MadeteFounding Director of Zima Homes Kenya Etta Madete is a Kenyan housing developer, architect, and sustainable development expert, passionate about systemic solutions to the housing crisis that embrace affordability, inclusivity and sustainability. Etta is a licensed architect and has 8+ years of experience in development, leading teams, and managing projects, including Zima Homes, which is a $3 million, Edge-certified & gender-inclusive housing development in Wangige, Kenya and working for a non- profit Affordable housing developer in Minneapolis, America. She has experience in working on all portions of the development cycle, from fundraising, acquisitions, research and predevelopment to design, construction, and delivery. Also passionate about advocacy, she has worked at the Harvard Joint Centre for Housing Studies, is an EDGE expert, taught at the University of Nairobi for 6 years and has led and published research and exhibitions locally and internationally. Etta has an undergraduate degree in Architecture(UON), and a Masters in Sustainable Architecture(UON), and has recently completed her Master in Real Estate from Harvard University. Her expertise and value add in enriching the conversation will be 1000 fold since she is an affordable housing developer working with women and selling mostly to women with experience both in Kenya and the USA on affordable housing. If she can present the case study of ZIMA in working with women and the space of women in affordable housing and share some of her data it would be amazing. She is also very well known in Kenya as a housing voice.
Patrick McAllisterDirector for Financial Policy & Regulation of Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter Patrick has over 20 years’ experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors advancing residential mortgage, financial inclusion, and the enabling environment for affordable housing finance. In his current role he oversees the development and implementation of TCIS’s strategy to improve the enabling environment on which housing investment depends. Previously, he served as the Asia Director for Housing Finance and Market Development where he led innovative housing finance approaches including creation of new corporate structures, investment vehicles, microfinance, savings, and advisory services in South and Southeast Asia. Before joining Habitat for Humanity, he was the founder of a consulting firm advising clients including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi, and the World Bank Group on financial inclusion, consumer protection and market development. He has also worked in private banking and at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, creating alternatives to foreclosure for low-income borrowers and securitization of mortgage assets. Geographically, his experience spans Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. He speaks English and French and holds Irish and US citizenship. Mr. McAllister earned certificates in International Housing Finance, Bonds and Securitization from the Wharton International Housing Finance Program and Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy from the Frankfurt School; a master’s degree in Development Studies from University College Dublin; and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin.
Oscar MgayaChief Executive Officer at Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company Limited (TMRC) With nearly 20 years of commercial real estate and financial services experience, Oscar Mgaya, who took on the role of CEO of the Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company (TMRC) in 2013, is confident about his ability to support Tanzania’s banks to do mortgage lending and therefore drive the growth of the real estate sector in the country. He explained to The Report Company how TMRC operates and shared his appraisal of Tanzania’s real estate and housing sectors.
Daniel MhinaAssociate Director-Housing Finance of Habitat for Humanity International Daniel Mhina is a seasoned development finance expert with more than 15 years of experience in digital financial services, market systems developments, and strategy development and execution. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, he currently serves as the Associate Director for Housing Finance Africa at Habitat for Humanity International, where he has been instrumental in developing and implementing the Pan-African affordable housing finance strategy for Low Income Households
Victor MintsHousing Finance Specialist at IFC ictor Mints is a Housing Finance Specialist at IFC, where he has mostly worked in Central Asia, advising governments, central banks, and financial institutions in housing finance market development. He has also provided support to IFC teams working on housing finance issues in Palestine, Egypt, and Indonesia. For the last several years, Victor has been working on the creation of a Housing Microfinance (HMF) mechanism in Central Asia, primarily in Kyrgyzstan. Working on HMF, Victor puts his education (Master’s in construction engineering; PhD in economics) and his experience (as a construction site manager, researcher, banker, and consultant) to good use.
Mao MukuriaCEO of Hodhi Inc Mao Ngamau Mukuria is a member of the Africa Business Community, one of Africa’s most important business networks. I am the Co-Founder and CEO of Hodhi Inc.Hodhi democratizes real estate investing by tokenizing real estate assets. Hodhi focuses on affordable housing projects. Our objectives are to provide an investment product that is available to all sectors of society (and especially the urban poor who have no access to affordable investment opportunities) and, in the medium term, provide off-take to affordable housing developers (which we believe would significantly increase the rate of affordable housing delivery in Africa).
Olivia NielsenPrincipal at Miyamoto International I specialize in the intricate design, financing, and implementation of transformative urban programs. My journey has taken me from the challenging post-disaster landscapes of Haiti to the diverse urban environments of Papua New Guinea, where I have crafted and executed pivotal policies and projects across more than 45 countries. Currently leading at Miyamoto International, my focus is on orchestrating massive, global projects that emphasize resilience, innovative financing, and sustainable construction, both in preparation for and response to disaster conditions. My ultimate goal is to contribute to the development of cities that are not only resilient and sustainable but also accessible and affordable for everyone. Through collaborative efforts and strategic planning, I am committed to shaping urban landscapes that thrive in harmony with their natural environments and cater to the needs of their diverse communities.
Kehinde Ogundimu is an award-winning professional with over 30 years of corporate work experience spanning financial advisory services, oil & gas and diversified banking in Africa and America. He has held senior leadership positions at various blue-chip companies including PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Chevron in Nigeria and at Pepco Energy Services, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Capital One Bank in the United States of America. Kehinde joined NMRC is 2015 as the pioneer Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer and was appointed as the CEO in 2018. He is passionate about the economic empowerment of citizens to advance development around the world. Energetically involved in the real estate finance and advocacy, Kehinde is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) a not-for-profit organization based in South Africa. Kehinde holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc Honors) degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Ibadan and obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA), a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI) and Member, Institute of Directors of Nigeria (M.IoD). Kehinde has attended several executive management programs in leading educational institutions including Harvard Business School, University of Cambridge, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Paul Kwesi OcranGreen Buildings Specialist-Consultant at IFC Paul operates at the interface between environmental and social risk and Sustainability where he focuses on technical assessment and building the capacity of private sector companies to preserve the environment and increase profitability while the well-being of communities in which they operate and meeting local and international frameworks. As an Environmental and Social Risk Specialist, Paul supports institutions to design and implement Environmental & Social Risk Management frameworks that leverage the Safeguards of the AfDB, IFC, World Bank, Equator Principles, and Bank of Ghana Sustainable Banking Principles. Through his knowledge of sustainability topics, he has supported institutions to build their capacity to identify and mitigate gender risks alongside implementing procedures for managing their Environmental and Social risks. He serves as a technical expert for the alignment of portfolios with the Paris agreement, developing internal sustainability strategies, resource efficiency and sustainable development audits and carbon footprint assessments, and management. He holds an M.Sc. Climate Change and Sustainable Development with 9 years of experience and skills around energy efficiency, Climate Change mitigation, adaptation with its co-benefits, Environmental and Social Governance; Environmental and Social Due Diligence; Regulatory/Policy Evaluation; Environmental Risk Assessment; Environmental Management; Cleaner Production; Carbon accounting, Air Quality, Water Quality; with experience in preparing, reviewing and implementing environmental and social safeguards planning documents (ESIA, ESMP, ESAP, ESMF) with good mastery of the IFC performance standards and World Bank EHS guidelines.
Olu OlanrewajuDirector of Altair International With over 30 years of experience in the housing industry, Olu Olanrewaju, Director of Altair International, has left a significant imprint on both the UK and the global stage. Throughout his career, he has assumed pivotal roles as CEO and Executive Director with major developers and managers of affordable housing in the UK. At Altair, Olu spearheads the international arm, specialising in crafting bespoke solutions that directly address challenges in housing and placemaking. His leadership and expertise are instrumental in instigating positive transformations for our clients, providing comprehensive support to achieve growth, resilience, and efficiency in this dynamic sector. Beyond Altair, Olu's leadership extends to various roles. He is the co-founder and Chair of Leadership2025, currently serving as Chair for a medium-sized property company in the UK. His expertise has also been channelled as a Board Director for both profit and not-for-profit institutions. Additionally, Olu is a co-founder and investor in The African Housing Company (TAHCO), a green affordable housing development company operating in sub-Saharan Africa. He is also the Chair of Business Launchpad, a charity that provides entrepreneurial skills to young people in London.
Johnstone OltetiaCEO of Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company PLC Johnstone Oltetia (Jo) is the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director at Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company PLC. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director & Treasurer at the African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF). With over two decades of experience in the financial services sector, Jo has played a pivotal role in transforming Kenya's housing finance landscape, driving affordability and accessibility of home loans through strategic partnerships. As a Certified Investment and Financial Analyst, Jo brings strategic insight from prior leadership roles at Kenya's National Treasury and the Capital Markets Authority. He is passionate about driving progress through collaboration and innovation in housing finance.
Bonaventura PaulDirector: Retail Banking of CRDB Bank Bonaventure Paul is an accomplished Director of Retail Banking with over 15 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He has a strong track record in crafting and executing retail business strategies, overseeing branch operations, managing extensive sales networks, and implementing robust risk controls. Bonaventure has been pivotal in driving sustainable business growth through strategic customer acquisition initiatives and has led the transformation of the bank’s sales culture, significantly enhancing performance across the entire branch network.
Christiaan PennekampManaging Director of Hypoport Africa Hypoport Africa was founded in 2010. With the same idealism as the PRoMMiSe platform technology was developed starting in 2002, Christiaan Pennekamp and John Doidge wanted to develop the PRoMMiSe platform for Africa to increase the transparency of structured finance products in the region with the aim of helping structured finance businesses grow in Africa.
Anaclaudia RossbachExecutive Director of UN Habitat (United Nations Human Settlement Programme) Anacláudia Rossbach (Brazil) is the Executive Director of UN-Habitat and an economist with over 20 years of experience in housing, informal settlements, and urban policies. She was appointed Executive Director of UN-Habitat at the Under-Secretary-General level by the General Assembly, following nomination by the UN Secretary-General on 7 June 2024. Prior to this role, she was the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and served as Regional Manager for Cities Alliance, where she founded the Urban Housing Practitioners Hub. Prior to that, with the World Bank, she oversaw the development and implementation of Brazilian housing and slum-upgrading policies. Ms. Rossbach has actively contributed to global urban policy discussions and has a strong academic presence in the field. She took office on 12 August 2024.
Kecia RustExecutive Director & Founder of Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa Kecia Rust is the Executive Director and founder of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF). She is a housing policy specialist and has provided strategic support to governments in South Africa in the development of national, provincial and local housing policy for the past 20 years. She was the Housing Finance Coordinator at the FinMark Trust from 2003-2014, from where CAHF was established.
Palesa RyanHead: Social, Health & Education at Development Bank of Southern Africa Palesa Ryan is the Coverage Head: Social, Health and Education at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). DBSA is a state-owned development bank with a mandate to develop, finance and implement infrastructure projects mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. The Unit provides funding for housing projects in the affordable housing sector including social housing and other housing projects in support of the National Department of Human Settlements. In the education sector, the Unit funds construction projects for institutions at a primary, secondary and tertiary level and includes the funding of student housing. Under the health sector, the Unit funds projects in the healthcare sector including hospitals, clinics and medical devices. ICT projects insofar as they fall under housing, education and healthcare sectors are also funded. DBSA utilises both on and off balance-sheet funding structures including private sector partnerships. The Bank utilizes a number of funding instruments from debt to quasi-equity to fund bankable projects and also has a project preparation facility which is utilized for pre-bankable projects
Lew SchulmanCEO of iBUILD Global Inc. Lew has throughout his career been an innovative social entrepreneur, tackling diverse social problems in multiple industries. That experience over a diverse career has helped to develop and apply scalable solutions to complex global social issues. Lew is leading the Technology company, iBUILD Global (Co-Founder) which has developed “iBUILD”. The end-to-end inter-operable Mobile Technology for the construction/housing space in developing countries with partnership contributions from IBM and MasterCard Innovation Labs
Esther SegeroPresident at WIRE Eng. Segero, a registered Professional Civil Engineer, leads as President of Kenya's Women In Real Estate Society. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Moi University and an MBA from The University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Sustainability from the Swedish Institute. A Young Africa Leadership Fellow, she champions entrepreneurship, sustainable construction, and women's leadership. Eng. Segero ardently believes in empowering more women to excel in construction and real estate, envisioning a future of diverse opportunities in the field. Her guiding philosophy echoes, "Engineering is the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of wo(man)," underscoring her commitment to harnessing nature's forces for societal benefit.
Oumar SyllaDirector Regional Office for Africa of UN Habitat (United Nations Human Settlement Programme) Since January 2020 Oumar Sylla has been acting as Director for the Regional Office for Africa in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat). Before this, he was Branch Coordinator, Urban Legislation, Land and Governance in UN Habitat and, from September 2015, Head of UN Habitat’s Land and GLTN Unit. Prior to joining the Land and GLTN Unit, Oumar served as a Senior Advisor in UN Habitat’s Regional Office for Africa and focal point to support urban policies development and sustainable urbanization in francophone countries. From 2009 to 2014, he was Chief Technical Advisor for UN Habitat’s Land Programme in DR Congo and he also has experience with the European Union framework, which he gained as a Land Policy Advisor in South Sudan and Burkina Faso (2006-2008). From 1999 to 2005 he was a Research Fellow in the Laboratory of Legal Anthropology in Paris 1 Sorbonne, mainly working on land and decentralization policies in West Africa. In Senegal, he operated as a junior researcher within the ILRI/ ISRA institutional cooperation framework (1998-1999) dealing with land and natural resources.
Freda TambaDirector Financial Conduct Supervision of The Central Bank of Zambia Ms. Freda Tamba is Chartered Accountant Fellow of ZICA with a Masters of Business Degree and an Associate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers. She has over 20 years’ experience in financial accounting, financial management and treasury operations management. She has served on various boards, which include Pensions and Insurance Authority, and Coffee Board of Zambia. She is the Director of Finance at Bank of Zambia.
Noll TufaniVP Programs , Africa & Middle East at Build Change Noll is a senior international development professional who draws his primary motivation from innovation and from developing concepts that improve efficiency and effectiveness. In the past 10 years, Noll's work focus has been post-disaster reconstruction and housing resilience to natural disasters, including the homeowner-driven reconstruction and retrofitting of 2,000 houses in informal neighborhoods of Haiti, and the provision of reconstruction technical assistance to 25,000 households in rural Nepal. To achieve these successes, Noll has prioritized technological innovation and the integration of emerging technologies at scale throughout the project workflows. Noll is a team-builder and a result-oriented manager. Noll is a keen strategist and a relentless B-to-B salesman, especially with potential partners or donors, and with Government institutions.
Michael WallerManaging Director of Plotify Global Limited Michael is an African entrepreneur and Investment Banker who's worked across the continent raising finance for regional banks and companies as well as his own retail lending businesses. Highlights include: 20 years of African capital markets experience, Over US1.3bn debt funding raised for African banks and corporates, Over $15m raise for his own lending businesses and 12 years of hands-on, retail lending experience as founder of 3 mortgage companies in Zambia, South Africa and Kenya, Strong track record in managing an off-market African Credit Fund.
Simon WalleyLead Financial Sector Specialist, Finance & Markets at World Bank Simon Walley joined the World Bank in 2006 – his role has been varied covering a range of countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. In particular he has worked on the development of secondary mortgage markets through the creation of liquidity facilities, mortgage subsidy schemes and covered bond legislation. Prior to his move to Washington, Simon spent 3 years in Brussels working for the European Mortgage Federation as the Deputy Secretary General. He was responsible for promoting the interest of mortgage lenders at the European level and worked on issues such as the European regulatory framework for mortgages under Basel II. He has also had industry experience with 3 years working as an economist for the Nationwide Building Society in UK where he worked on competitor analysis, strategic planning and market forecasting. This followed on from 4 years spent working as a banking regulator for the Bank of England and later the Financial Services Authority.
Stephen WanjalaExecutive Director of HDFC Stephen Wanjala is an experienced financial inclusion expert with over 30 years in finance, technology, and development. As the Executive Director of Housing and Development Finance Consultants (Africa) Ltd, he oversees innovative projects in Incremental Housing finance across Africa, promoting research and investment in this sector. His responsibilities include implementing market-driven initiatives for sustainable housing finance and developing products with various financial institutions. Wanjala has conducted significant program assessments and provided strategic guidance to numerous organizations, including the World Bank, Bank of Tanzania, Housing Finance Bank of Uganda, SAHIF, National Treasury of South Africa and UNOPS.
Ananta WiyogoPresident Director of PT Sarana Multigriya Finansial (Persero) Ananta Wiyogo, with over 30 years of experience in finance, has held key positions in various organizations. His career began in the Oil & Gas Industry at ARCO, followed by roles in Banker Trust (1989-1995) and PT Bank Niaga Tbk. (1995-1997). He then promoted as Managing Director in Niaga Finance Ltd. Hong Kong (1997-1999) and later as Finance Director at PT Tunas Sepadan Investama under Indonesia Banking Restructure Agency (IBRA) (1997-1999). Subsequently, he became the President Director of PT PEFINDO, an Indonesia Rating Agency (2001-2007), before leading PT Indonesian Central Securities Depository (KSEI) in 2007 and BNI Securities a subsidiary of a state-owned bank (2013-2016). Since 2016, Ananta has been the President Director of PT Sarana Multigriya Finansial (SMF), overseeing the development of Indonesia's secondary mortgage market. Under his leadership, SMF received a business expansion mandate in 2020 from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, solidifying its role as a Special Mission Vehicle. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in 1981, then he obtained master's degrees in management from the Arthur D. Little Management Education Institute in 1984, and Master of Finance from Bentley College in 1987, Waltham, MA, USA.
Davina WoodVice President at The Affordable Housing Institute Davina Wood joined AHI in 2018 and now serves as the firm’s Vice President. Davina specializes in affordable housing finance, management, and strategy in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the United States. In addition to her day-to-day leadership and mentoring of the team, Davina frequently runs international consulting projects and is involved in AHI’s LIHTC transaction valuation work as well. Davina’s work is driven by her desire to apply her 12 years of experience in the financial sector to emerging affordable housing markets in complex contexts. While at AHI, she has led various projects, including a market study and sales feasibility analysis for a private sector developer seeking to build Senegal’s largest affordable housing development. She recently completed an affordable housing PPP pre-feasibility assessment for the IFC in the Solomon Islands and is currently working on developing housing finance solutions for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal in Jamaica. Davina has considerable experience in Ethiopia, having drafted a report on long term finance in Ethiopia for AfDB and GIZ, and having completed a project with the World Bank in Ethiopia, where the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing requested the World Bank’s assistance with land management and housing delivery. She also participated in an additional, follow-on project to identify sustainable solutions for the provision of housing for the country’s Industrial Parks. Prior to AHI, she worked at JPMorgan’s Community Development Bank, where she underwrote debt on LIHTC projects and managed a portfolio of construction and permanent loans.
