2021 CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
2021 CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
WAPI is privileged to host some of the foremost professionals working in property investment today. As the goal of our summit is to enrich the working experience of our delegates through relevant information and insights, we take great care in selecting a high calibre of speakers, who, in many respects, set the tone for the summit. Futhermore, as a speaker you get the most visibility and the most significant corporate brand exposure. If you would like to get in touch with us about speaking at WAPI Virtual, please contact Susan Swartz – susan@apievents.com
Olawale Ayilara is a passionate entrepreneur skilled in Business Development and Innovations & Strategy. He has more than ten years’ experience growing businesses in Africa worth over $200 million. In December 2020, Ayilara was announced Group CEO of Oxygen Holdings – a diversified group of companies operating in real estate, healthcare, fintech, and agriculture. An alumnus of Harvard Business School, Metropolitan School of Business & Management, and Lagos Business School, Ayilara is enthusiastic about continuous personal development. Ayilara is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 achiever and the recipient of the Future Award Business Category.
Dennis Quansah is Program Lead for IFC EDGE Green Building Market Transformation Program in Ghana and Nigeria. He is an Urban Development professional with experience in the built environment in Ghana. His expertise includes Sustainable Real Estate Development, Real Estate Marketing and Agency, Real Estate Management, Real Estate Valuation and Business Development. He has also undertaken socio-economic surveys for voluntary relocation and other resettlement packages. He holds an MSc in Urban Policy and Development and an Undergraduate degree in Land Economy in Ghana. He is also a member of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors.
Emmanuel Stefanakis has more than 40 years global experience in applying sustainable development principles to numerous housing and urban development projects. Prior to joining EchoStone, Mr. Stefanakis has served as Senior Management Consultant at Arthur D. Little International, as a senior executive at Harvard University, and has advised many Fortune 500 companies and international organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations. Mr. Stefanakis received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts, Master’s degrees in Sustainable Development from the University of Pennsylvania and Public Administration from Harvard University, and is certified as an International Finance Corporation EDGE Expert in sustainable building.
Adeshola Bello is a Business Development & Strategy professional with over 20 years of managerial experience across various sectors in the U.S. and Nigeria. She is passionate about helping businesses execute their vision. Through operational efficiency and business analysis, Ms. Bello always delivers valuable results. Consulting and Business Management for SMEs are Ms. Bello’s areas of interest. She demonstrates her unique abilities by motivating teams and providing outstanding customer service. Ms. Bello studied Business Administration at Bowie State University in the U.S. She is currently pursuing an Executive MBA from the University of Cumbria.
Adetayo Bamiduro is the Co-founder and CEO of MAX, a pioneering mobility infrastructure and vehicle subscription platform focused on Africa and Emerging Markets. Previously, Adetayo worked as a software engineer, product manager, and management consultant at PwC, Dalberg and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas. Adetayo has been awarded the Alibaba eFounders Fellowship, MIT Legatum Fellowship, and the World Economic Forum’s Inclusive Growth Award. Adetayo holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Tayo Odunsi is a Chartered Surveyor with over 10 years of professional real estate experience. He holds an undergraduate degree in Estate management from the University of Lagos, a MSc. Real estate finance and investment degree from the Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK as well as a MBA from the Imperial College London. Some of his previous roles were at FBN Capital, GTHomes and ARM Investment Managers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and the African Real Estate Society. He also serves as a Director at Ventures Park, the leading co-working space in the heart of Abuja. He’s an ardent art lover, valuer and curator. Tayo enjoys soft rock, gardening and mentoring young people.
Anthony is a real estate professional with 24 years experience in the real estate and construction industry. He is responsible for the execution of IndigoHomes residential developments in Ghana, including the maiden development Ayi Mensah Park. Building on Ayi Mensah Park’s success, he is currently leading a team to develop IndigoHomes second residential development, Oyarifa Park. Prior to joining IndigoHomes, Anthony spent five years with Rendeavor, developing all the bulk infrastructure and a model home for its maiden developments of the oxford and Nova Ridge in Apolonia City. From 2005 to April 2012, Anthony was seconded from Balfour Beatty/ Parsons Brinckerhoff UK to several organisations in the UK and abroad on major infrastructure projects. Anthony attained a master’s degree in construction management from the University of Reading in 2002 and has been a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) since 2004. Anthony decided it was time to bring his expertise to Ghana in 2012 to contribute to housing and Construction sector which is propelling Ghana economy forward in earnest.
Bruce is the Regional Director for our West Africa Region and is the Key Account Manager for Microsoft for the EMEA Region. Bruce has over 26 years’ experience of cost and project management in landmark and mega projects. He has successfully led teams in mature and in developing markets to deliver reliable service to the highest international standards. In the last 14 years, Bruce has been the director for a number of large-scale mixed-use projects across the EMEA region. He has successfully built long-term client relationships through all project phases and economic cycles to deliver short- and long-term client objectives. Bruce is an innovative leader and very attentive to client needs and objectives and this has been key in meeting the evolving requirements of the fast-pace and complex nature projects he has led. He is a strong advocate of good and improving standards of service by stand-up new teams and by a dedication to training and mentoring new staff, and even client staff, to achieve chartered surveyor status. Bruce takes a very active role in professional development and standards and is a board member of RICS’ Global Standards and Regulation Board. Bruce has a reputation for accurate and reliable results supported with clear, evidence-based thinking. He is passionate about integrating teams and for a collaborative style and supportive management approach to make improvements and enhancements that generate efficiencies, value and opportunities.
Mrs Adetoke Benson- Awoyinka, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing. Mrs Adetoke Benson- Awoyinka, a legal practitioner is grounded in different areas of the legal profession ranging from insurance law which include Underwriting policies as well as Risk and Claims Management. She also possesses expertise in litigation, probate and Land matter. She had her education at Marywood Grammar School, Ebute-Metta and graduated at the Lagos State University (LASU) with a Bachelor of Laws and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. She stated her career at International Standard Insurers where she learnt the roles in insurance law and thereafter moved to full time legal practice and litigation with Yemi Peters& Co, and later B.O.Benson Law office, where she worked with the best hands in probates and land matters. She further challenged herself, when she went into partnership with Gbenga Afolabi Benson &Co, Lenox & Blair Estates, venturing into Oil & Gas Law and consultancy.
Chima Emerueh is a trained Architect, a Property Developer, and an avid enthusiast of green design and sustainability. He is a co-founder of HomeWork Group, a multidisciplinary group with subsidiaries that focus on Architecture, Property Development and Facility Management, amongst others. An experienced player in the real estate space with qualifications in Architecture and Environmental Design and a demonstrated history of working in the built environment industry, Chima serves as Director at HomeWork Group.
Dinesh Rathi has 20+ years of experience working in India and Nigeria. Before joining the Tolaram Group, Dinesh served in various business development roles at Unilever Group and the ICICI Bank. In November 2004, he joined Tolaram Group as Finance Controller in Lucky Fibres and was promoted as General Manager in June 2005. During his 3.5 years tenure, Lucky Fibres witnessed strong growth and a profitable track record. Dinesh was promoted as Group CFO – Nigeria in January 2009. His areas of expertise include Strategy, Finance, Accounting and Mergers and Acquisitions. He has been the CEO of LFZC since March 2018.
Dolapo Omidire is the Founder and Team Lead at Estate Intel. He spent over 2 years at Broll in Nigeria as the Lead Research Analyst working on market and feasibility studies for international and local institutional real estate investors. Dolapo also spent over a year at AXA Mansard Investments as an Alternative Investment Analyst. Dolapo is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (UK) with a specialty in Commercial Property Research and also holds a BSc in Investment and Finance in Property from the University of Reading, UK.
Initially trained as a biochemist, Jean-Marc graduated with a PhD in organic chemistry from Warwick university. He spent the beginning of his career in corporate and applied research mostly for the home & personal care industry. He then had several roles in marketing of innovation, regional business management and key account management in 4 of the 7 continents, particularly in emerging and frontier markets. He then moved to Africa in 2016 to take over BASF operations in West Africa and is currently stationed in Lagos Nigeria.
Based in Lisbon, Erwan looks after the Group’s strategic growth across West and Central Africa. He has sourced, negotiated and signed over 20 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments projects across 12 countries, establishing the Group’s presence in 7 new markets. Tasked with increasing the Group’s regional hotel portfolio, Erwan is an expert hospitality developer and deal-maker in the African market. A seasoned executive, his experience includes all aspects of hotel development from sourcing to execution, including in legal contract negotiations, due diligence and financial analysis. He oversees the underwriting, strategic planning, investment analysis and asset management activities for all type of deal structuring, including conversions and take overs, financial commitments, franchise and straight management agreements. Previously, Erwan’s hospitality experience includes the launch and management of his own consulting firm, Mise en Place, out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He also worked with Hilton Worldwide as a Director Brand Performance Support in London, UK and as General Manager with Accor in San Francisco, USA and French Polynesia, Asia. French National, Erwan is also fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Erwan has a bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Hotel Management School of Paris and an MBA in International Hospitality Management, AACSB-EQUIS accredited majoring in Corporate Finance and Development from Cornell University and ESSEC Group – IMHI.
Uzo Oshogwe is the Managing Director/CEO of Afriland Properties Plc, and joined the company when it was still known as UBA Properties. She holds a BSc in Chemistry from Ambrose Alli University, Edo State and an MSc in Information Systems Design from the University of Westminster, London. She has over 20 years’ working experience, mainly in Information Technology and Banking. Uzo also holds a professional certificate in Real Estate Management from Harvard Business School. She is also a RICS accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants. Prior to joining UBA Properties, Uzo worked with UBA PLC, Ford Motors UK, J. Sainbury’s UK and Accenture UK.
Jamila is an Executive Director in Construction Kaiser; an indigenous construction firm of over 28 years and Managing Director of M&E Kaiser Limited with over 16 years’ of unique experience in civil and MEPF construction planning, procurement, logistics, general project management, on both operations and management levels. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Building from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Master’s in Construction Management from University of Lagos, certified in Advanced Management by Lagos Business School, trained both locally and internationally including Harvard Business School, Boston, has led several projects from fruition to completion and seeks to demonstrate excellence in leadership.
Westmont Hospitality is a substantial and respected owner of hotel real-estate across four continents. Prior to leading Westmont’s growth in Africa, Ewan fulfilled a number of leadership roles within the continent’s hotel industry, notably with Lonrho, African Sun and IHG. Westmont’s portfolio substantially operates under the mega brand systems of Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott and Hilton. Ewan was born in Glasgow, Scotland.
Mr. Hafid Mirabti is dynamic hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in leadership roles of sales and marketing and business development with international hotel and serviced apartments groups in the Middle East and Africa. He has been responsible since 2012 for the growth strategy in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa of the Ascott Limited, the world’s leading group in the serviced apartments and extended stay business. After a successful growth in the Middle East, Hafid has since 2019 turned his focus to Africa, where he is presently leading the group’s expansion plan. Prior to joining Ascott, Hafid held various senior positions in Sales & Marketing with international and regional hotel groups with the most recent ones include Director of Sales and Marketing for the five-star JAL Fujairah Resort & Spa in the UAE and Assistant Director of Sales for the Dubai based JA Resorts & hotels. Originally from Morocco and living in Dubai, UAE since 1997, Hafid holds a master’s degree in hotel management from the international hospitality management school in Morocco and speaks four languages Arabic, English, French & German.
Holger Adam is Director of the Management Board of the IREBS Foundation for African Real Estate Research (www.afrer.org). The Foundation supports real estate academics and practitioners in sub-Saharan Africa to conduct relevant research, advance development and disseminate best practices in the real estate industry. Holger is an architect, planner and real estate developer with experiences spanning Germany, Nigeria and Ghana. He is based in Accra, Ghana and is currently the Head of Real Estate Development of Clifton Homes Ltd., one of the country’s largest residential developers.
A Director at Turner & Townsend, Michelle Jackson is the project management lead for data centres. With over 20 years’ experience in South and West Africa, she has delivered major projects across multiple market segments including real estate (high tech and manufacturing, retail, corporate occupier, commercial developer, health and education), infrastructure (rail, roads and ports), and natural resources (mining and oil & gas). Prior to this, Michelle was Head of Turner & Townsend’s Energy and oil & gas division in South Africa.
In 2019, this goal driven professional was a finalist at the South African Professional Service Awards (SAPSA) and received special judge’s commendation for her contribution to the construction profession. Michelle holds a (B.Arch) Bachelor of Architecture from the University of the Witwatersrand
With over 20 year’s real estate experience in London (UK) and Nigeria, Jemil is the Managing Director for Nigeria, and responsible for the overview and implementation of projects in Nigeria including but not limited to transaction services, property management (Landlord & Tenant), Asset Management, Facilities management and agency (leasing & disposal), with emphasis on portfolio strategy.
Jemil is based in Lagos, Nigeria at:
B1, 1st Floor, 28 Raymond Njoku, Off Awolowo Road, South West Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria
Summary of Relevant Experience:
Before joining CBRE Excellerate, Jemil worked at various public sector authorities in the United Kingdom within their real estate portfolio (i.e. Newham, Woolwich, Haringey, Swale etc.), he also worked in the private sector with the likes of Cluttons LLP, CBRE and Strettons in London as part general practice team undertaking various tasks i.e. valuation, property management, asset management, Landlord and Tenant and corporate real estate (which involved the disposal of commercial and residential assets).
In recent years he was involved in numerous project across United Kingdom and Nigeria representing global corporate clients in real estate projects including transaction services (disposal and acquisition), Rent Review, Valuations, Lease Administration, Property Management (Landlord & Tenant), Asset Management, Facilities management.
Qualification:
Jemil holds a degree in Estate Management and a Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Property Development and Planning.
Jide Adekola is the co founder and Group managing director of Homework group a conglomerate that consist of an architectural practice ,a property development company , a facility management company and a property investment platform amongst others. He is a registered architect with over 15 years experience in Architecture and the property development space . Both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Studying home and abroad ,Jide is passionate about changing the skyline of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole with unique products that stand out as well as ensuring the entire eco system is sustainable with significant impact on people’s lives ,the economy , source of living and investments. As a member of several boards , He sees himself as an aggregator positioned to help you achieve your realestate potential no matter who you are in the value chain .
GM for Schneider Electric ‘s Cloud & Service Providers, Johan is an electronic engineer who has worked for government and private sector in various roles for companies delivering Power Electronics and Power systems. His career has led him to work at companies such as Penbro Kelnick, Saab Grintek, Delta and Eltek. Johan then moved to Vodacom and then to Vertiv where he really started focusing on data centres. In 2019 he joined Schneider Electric to lead the Anglophone cluster Cloud & Services Provider focus team.
Bunmi Ibraheem is the Managing Partner of Swift & Moore. She was called to the bar in 1990 and is responsible for the operational excellence of the firm in delivering the best quality service and solutions to clients. Bunmi is particularly gifted in negotiation, litigation and drafting. She also has considerable experience in working with government ministries and agencies and the regulatory authorities.
Experienced real estate professional with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Skilled in Real Estate Investment & Finance, Structured Finance, Financial Structuring, Financial Risk, and Corporate Finance. Strong business development professional with a MPhil Real Estate Finance focused in Real Estate from University of Cambridge.
Ibrahim is Managing Director, Jide Taiwo & Co., (Estate Surveyors and Valuers), He leads a team of over 300 experienced and well-motivated Surveyors located in 30 business offices in Nigeria’s six geographical zones. With over two decades deep end exposure, Ibrahim areas of expertise include real estate agency, valuation execution, property and facility management.
Prior to this role, Ibrahim was head of the firm’s Project Development and Management Unit. A consummate professional, he is also a strategic leader who is responsible for leading the formulation and execution of innovative and technology driven solutions to external and internal clients across sectors, geographical spread and income groups. Mohammed is a member of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV). He is also a member of Estate Surveyors and Valuation Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON).
Motolani is a marketing and branding communications professional with over 7 years experience in driving brand growth and development as well as executing effective marketing campaigns . He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Pennsylvania State University. His interest in tech, business and psychology has driven him to become a creative, knowledgeable and data-driven marketing and branding specialist. His career started from a digital marketing startup named Azumis, where he was the Content Lead, to a leading digital marketing agency, Ringier Digital Marketing. As a Senior Key Account Manager at RDM, he successfully managed campaigns for brands like the EU, British Council, Heineken, Strongbow, and Indomie. His passion for movies and the arts led to a move to Filmhouse, where he’swas responsible for the growth of brand presence, reach and conversion in the digital space as well as in-cinema branding and activation. Now at Purple, Motolani is responsible for the expansion of the customer base, partnerships and strategy. Motolani is an avid reader who is interested in the arts, history, current affairs, politics and soccer. He’s also very out-going and is a great conversationalist.
Moyo is an Associate Director responsible for leading EY’s Technology Transformation and Cybersecurity business across West Africa. Prior to joining Ernst & Young, he worked in First Bank where he managed multiple initiatives aimed at improving business technology.
Solution capabilities.
He also worked at Accenture and Deloitte as a technology consultant. Moyo holds a B.Sc degree in Computer Science from Morehouse College in Atlanta and certifications in business/technology domains such as Enterprise Architecture & Process Automation. Moyo has spent over 1 0 years providing services that span Digital Strategy, IT Strategy, Enterprise Architecture, Systems Implementation and Cybersecurity.
Iyatum Victoria Adode-Kobiti is an Administrative Public Servant. Starting her career in the financial services sector at an entry-level position, she worked her way up the corporate ladder to earn her seat at the decision-making table. Her natural ability to bring people together to share information, build alignment and solve problems put her in the position to help budding career women to leverage their focus, and pay attention to what matters most at work and in life. With her wealth of experience, she mentors with passion, guiding her mentees to effectively strengthen and elevate themselves across all spheres of life. Iyatum is particularly interested in teaching women how to make responsible real estate and property investment decisions to achieve financial freedom.
Oladele Oladunjoye is the Principal Partner of Greychapel Legal, a full-service law firm which renders first class legal advisory services across various sectors on contentious and non-contentious matters. He is dual qualified in Nigeria and England & Wales, and holds a Master of Laws Degree (with distinction) from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.
He is an astute and resourceful lawyer with a track record of providing quality legal services on a wide range of issues. In 2016, Oladele was recognised by the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards as one of “40 Leading Nigerian lawyers Under 40” who have made remarkable achievements in the legal industry and who will shape the future of the legal profession. He has been consistently ranked in several legal directories, and is described by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) as “diligent and concise, with industry expertise and good knowledge of business”
His practice areas include Banking & Finance, Dispute Resolution, Capital Market, Renewable Energy and Real Estate. He is a registered capital market consultant with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria and has advised on diverse areas of law and notable transactions. He led the team in the firm that advised a real estate company on its recent issuance of ₦ 5,000,000,000 (Five Billion Naira) real estate Sukuk notes.
Dimeji is a Real Estate Development Professional with over a decade of management experience working across West Africa. He has served in various capacities along the real estate value chain and has also been involved with a variety of asset types with extensive experience in the Hospitality sector among others. He is currently Executive Director, Real Estate at Sankore Investments where he serves primarily as Managing Director of the group’s real estate subsidiary, Saunders Development Company. Prior to joining Sankore, he was Country Manager/MD of Mixta Senegal – a subsidiary of Mixta Africa. This was preceded by a Senior Manager role within the Hospitality & Retail Investment and Development unit of Mixta Africa. Prior to Mixta Africa he was Senior Manager (Development) at Golden Tulip West Africa, a subsidiary the Louvre Hotel Group. Dimeji Holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Architecture from the University of Lagos, as well as a Masters Degree in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Olajumoke Olufunmilola Adenowo is a Nigerian architect and a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. She started her own architecture and interior design firm AD Consulting in 1994. Olajumoke Adenowo’s interest in architecture was ignited by visits to Paris and the Palais de Versailles as a young child, as well as living on the Obafemi Awolowo University
campus where her parents were both professors, one of History and the other of Criminology. These inspired her design philosophy – the core lesson being that in its functionality, architecture must be sensitive to its climatic, technological, infrastructural and physical contexts. At a young age of 14, she enrolled in Obafemi Awolowo University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Architecture at age 19. As an undergraduate she won the prize for Best Student Design. She obtained her Master’s of Science in Architecture, with distinction, from the same university in 1991. After graduating from university, Adenowo was hired as an Assistant Architect at Towry Coker Associates. She then practiced as an architect in Lagos at Femi Majekodunmi Associates. She designed the Federal Ministry of Finance Abuja at the age of 23. Adenowo founded her own boutique architecture and interior design when she was 25 years old. Since its inception, AD Consulting has been involved in the design and construction of more than 70 projects. These include Nigerian government buildings,
private residences, healthcare facilities, industrial campuses, and corporate and financial institutions. AD’s clients include Coca-Cola and L’Oreal CNN has described her as “Africa’s Starchitect” and The Guardian (Nigeria) has described her as “the face of Architecture in Nigeria”. In 2018 she was recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as one of the inspirational women in architecture today. Adenowo has been featured in the architectural journal Architectural Record. Adenowo’s portfolio includes a host of multi-national and Nigerian clients including Coca-Cola, L’Oreal, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Access Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank. In 2019, Olajumoke Adenowo was appointed a Visiting Professor at the Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) in Germany. She was honored as a Laureate and a Guest Scientist at the Chair of Theory, History of Architecture and Art & Design arm of the
university’s Department of Architecture. This program is established in collaboration with the Bavarian Ministry of Education. Some of her other endeavours include being an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the African Leadership Network. As a public speaker, Adenowo has lectured on the arts, architecture, gender issues,
women’s empowerment and entrepreneurial activities in Africa. She has spoken at the Global Women’s Forum and Harvard Business School (African Business Club). She hosts a
syndicated radio show on leadership “Voice of Change”. She has been featured by the international media such as CNN and Fortune. Adenowo has several philanthropic ventures. In 1999 she founded the Awesome Treasures Foundation (ATF), a UN-recognised, faith-based NGO in Lagos, Nigeria. The foundation has a mission to raise leaders, working especially with young people and women. Recognized as a thought leader on Architecture, the Arts, Leadership and Gender issues, she speaks regularly at international summits and conferences including McKinsey & Company Leadership Forum, the Global Women’s Forum, SOLVE at MIT, the Harvard Business School (African Business Club), Cambridge University (African Society), Haust
Der Kunst (Munich), the Institute of Directors, the New African Woman Forum and many other platforms. Her awards include: The Rare Gems Award in conjunction with the United Nations Information Centre and the Women’s Optimum Development Foundation (WODEF), for her work with women empowerment; the International Alliance for Women World of
Difference 100 Award; the International Property Awards (Best Public Service Architecture, 2012); African Property Awards (Best Mixed-Use Architecture; Best Office Architecture and Best Public Service Architecture, 2013); IDEA Awards (Best Commercial Designer 2012; Best interior Architect 2013); The Ekiti State Merit Awards, 2014; IDEA Awards (Best Institutional Architect 2014) , the Cambridge African Society Award and Forbes Woman African entrepreneur award in 2020. She was a jury member of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards and has been featured in the Hall of Fame, Black History Month by the University of West England, Bristol. In 2021 she was featured in Art Historian Agata Toromanoff’s “ Raising the Roof “ a volume on the 50 most celebrated female architects in history .
Ope is a graduate of Business Management and Information Technology from the University of Hull. Ope has been with the Purple Group since its inception playing a major part in the development and implementation of the company’s business strategy. He played an active role in the development and finance of the Group’s Real Estate portfolio, including Purple Maryland and Purple Lekki as well as the establishment of Purplemoney, A CBN licensed Microfinance Bank. Ope is currently the COO of Proptech, digitizing the Purple product range for a whole new audience online.
At present, he is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority and at the same time the 2nd Deputy President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His educational qualifications include a Doctorate degree in Business Administration with the highest distinction from the California Southern University in the USA. He is also pursuing his 2nd doctorate at the UNICAF University, Zambia in Education Management. This is in addition to two Masters’ degrees and two Bachelors’ degrees obtained from reputable institutions within and outside Nigeria. Prof. Adesoji Adesugba was known for outstanding performance and excellence in various positions he has held. He started his career as Superintendent Collector Grade II at the Nigerian Customs Service in August 1982 rising to Chief Superintendent before exiting in 1999. Professor Adesugba is a member of various professional associations and has championed many start-ups that have become household names, like “Farmcrowdy”. He is happily married with children.
Ram leads transactions across Kasada’s target economies. He has over 15 years of experience in global real estate private equity and operations across North America, India and SSA.
Prior to joining Kasada, Ram was based in Dar es Salaam where he was CEO of Village Supermarket, a regional Supermarket chain that he led and expanded over 4 years. He also spent 10 years in real estate and infrastructure investments, notably at the Xander Group in Singapore and Global Infrastructure Partners in New York. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where he was elected George F. Baker Scholar and a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University obtained with First Class Honors.
Raymond is a NHoD of Solutions at Dimension Data with 22 years’ experience in data centre’s and ICT. He has engineered some of the most complex solutions, across Africa and the Middle East and has a more recent focus on Edge and Hyper Scale data center design and contruction.
My name is Nancy Ogbue, I am a prolific Master of Ceremonies from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I host events and red carpets, moderate panel sessions, anchor talk shows, and live shows. As a certified and experienced Communicator, I train groups and Individuals on Communication and Clarity to achieve the goals of the organization. I host a clarity and productivity session “navigate with Nancy” designed to help young people experience a paradigm shift in mindsets, build networks, gain clarity on purpose and lead value driven lives. I am people and value driven; I believe that the true mark of a great leader is his/her ability to raise other people. This is quite evident in my coaching sessions and the work we’ve done so far with Street Aid Africa Foundation (www.streetaidafrica.com.ng), In over 4 years, we’ve impacted over 2,000 street kids in more than 150 communities across 6 states in Nigeria.
I am thorough-bred legal professional with expertise in negotiation, drafting and advisory on various commercial contracts relevant to the Energy Sector. My expertise also extends to providing advisory on rights and obligations of parties relating to international investments, structure, regulatory and legal frameworks for participating in the Nigeria Energy Space. I also have a solid background in litigation and alternative dispute resolution. I feature as a complete commercially-aware Lawyer.
Thomas is the Managing Director of Lango Real Estate, where he led the founding of the business. Lango has grown to own assets across 4 countries worth in excess of $600m. Lango aims to list on the LSE over the medium term. Thomas is an accomplished Investment professional with more than 25 years’ experience across a range of asset classes including real estate, debt finance and the financial derivative markets. Thomas holds a Master of Science Degree in Finance from the University of London’s CASS Business School (awarded with distinction), as well as an Honours degree in Economics and a Batchelor of Commerce degree in Economics.
Timi is the Country Commercial Manager at Agility Logistics Parks based in Lagos, Nigeria, where he is responsible for sales and marketing of the 270,000m2 Agility warehouse park under construction on the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way that is opening late 2022, providing industrial real estate solutions and services to both national and international corporate clients requiring space for storage, distribution, packing, processing and manufacturing. He also oversees the evaluation of further warehouse park locations across Nigeria and executes the corporate marketing plans at the country level for Agility Logistics Parks. Before assuming his current role, Timi was the Commercial and Industrial Sales Manager at Rendeavour, Africa’s largest new private city builder, where he was responsible for leading the industrial, commercial and residential sales drive in Alaro City. Prior to this, he was part of the Sub Saharan Africa Corporate Solutions team at JLL, a Fortune 500, global, commercial real estate services firm specializing in real estate and investment management, where he was responsible for managing and delivering solutions to corporate clients, negotiations, strategic advisory services and providing innovative marketing solutions. Timi holds a B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and is a Chartered Surveyor and member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) with a specialty in Commercial Property Practice. He is also an Associate member of the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).
I am the current CEO of Twelve, a digital financial advisory start-up that provides a platform for millennials and GenZs in Africa to discuss investment opportunities openly with friends, find new connections, and make investment decisions all in one place. I am looking forward to more local and international partnerships that focus on educating millennials and GenZs in a way that drives financial inclusion, economic growth, and reduces the rate of poverty in Africa.
Tunde Daniel Balogun is an astute entrepreneur, dogged real estate expert and a proficient business analyst. He Co-founded RentSmallSmall, a real estate company that leverages technology to provide solutions including property letting services with flexible payment plan, and property investment solution through Buy2Let.ng. He holds a degree in International Business Management and Business Administration from Stamford University. He participated in the 2012 edition of the Clinton Global Initiative held in Washington D.C. He is a Global Ambassador for Jump-Start Africa, an empowerment program dedicated to bolstering young Africans for leadership roles.
A Director at Turner & Townsend, Wendy is Head of Cost Management in Johannesburg for Turner & Townsend and also holds responsibility for data centre projects across the African business. She has 17 years’ experience working across Africa and the United Kingdom delivering projects in the data centre and hi-tech, commercial and mixed use sectors
Yemi is an Estate Surveyor and Valuer with cognate work experience spanning over 20 years in the Nigeria Real Estate space. He is a Partner at Estatelinks Limited and has been involved in various real estate consultancy jobs for government, financial institutions, multi-nationals, blue-chip companies as well as individuals. He is a member of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as well as African Real Estate Society. He has spoken to both local and international audience on Real Estate related topics and has also benefited from various property related conferences and workshops both within and outside Nigeria.
Yomi is a business leader with significant experience building and running transformational businesses and teams. His expertise spans urban land development projects, corporate and project finance and mergers & acquisitions. Yomi’s extensive track record of performance and a network built across three continents uniquely position him to drive large scale projects that create and deliver significant value for all stakeholders. Prior to joining Alaro City Development FZC, Yomi worked with Renaissance Capital and Renaissance Partners, where he worked on numerous private placements and private equity deals. A New York qualified attorney, Yomi began his career in the New York and London offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges and then Latham & Watkins. Yomi has a Juris Doctor degree from The Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations, from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Yomi is the West Africa Tax Leader at Deloitte. He is an alumnus of The University of Manchester (UK) and Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). He has distinguished himself as a seasoned advisor on tax and fiscal policy issues with extensive experience in various specialized tax projects. He has led several strategic tax services covering business tax, employment tax, international tax, transfer pricing, transaction tax, tax dispute resolution, tax strategy and risks, tax structuring and tax optimisation solutions. Yomi has built an expansive network of relationships with international and national clients, regulatory authorities and industry leading voices. He is a member of the Board of Tax & Fiscal Policy Faculty of ICAN, Board Member of Indirect Tax Faculty of CITN and regular speaker at local and international conferences.
Sade Hughes has over 25 years’ experience in real estate development. She studied Architecture at the University of Lagos, and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, Boston. She holds a Certificate in Interior Design from the KLC School of Interior Design London. Before joining Mixta Africa, she was the founding CEO of Briscoe Properties Limited – a position she held for 11 years where she led the transformation of a small-scale facility management company into a full-fledged property development company.
Previously, Tom was a director in JLL’s EMEA Capital Markets team in London and headed a 20 strong research team in Moscow. Prior to joining JLL Tom served as chief strategist for Russia’s largest private bank and before that was an equity strategist for Renaissance Capital’s number one ranked emerging market strategy team based in Moscow. Before this this Tom was instrumental in the development of a leading emerging market hedge fund based in Moscow and was involved in all areas of the fund’s development including capital raising and fund structuring. He has given policy advice to the central bank and government of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Derrick Roper is a qualified actuary. He graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa and is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in England. Before joining Novare he worked for a number of large financial services companies in South Africa including Sanlam and Gensec Asset Management. He spent some time in the United Kingdom where he gained experience in investment product development in the pension fund market. Derrick co-founded Novare in October 2000. He is a regular commentator on industry topics in the financial media and has addressed numerous conferences across the globe. Derrick’s areas of expertise include asset-liability matching, strategic asset allocation, alternative investments and private equity investments in sub-Saharan Africa. Derrick’s tendency to innovate in product development saw Novare launch the first South African Fund of Hedge Funds in 2003, and subsequently, the first Novare Africa Property Fund in 2010. Derrick is the MD of Novare Equity Partners, a private equity firm investing exclusively in Sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa. He is listed amongst the top 50 most influential, innovative and powerful figures in African asset management by Africa Asset Management magazine for 2013 and 2014. He has 27 years’ experience in the industry.
Elizabeth has over fifteen years of experience within the UK and Nigerian Investment Banking and Infrastructure Development Sector. She is currently the Regional Representative, Anglophone West Africa at Shelter Afrique. She has broad experience in Real Estate Financing, Investment and Corporate Banking. She holds an MSc in Finance & Investment from the University of Exeter, UK, a BSc in Accounting from the University of Benin, Nigeria. She is a Fellow Chartered Accountant, a Prince 2 Practitioner and a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, UK. She has attended numerous courses and training both locally and internationally.
Funke is a Director in the real estate team at Actis, based in Lagos. Funke joined the firm in 2007 where she is responsible for origination, execution and portfolio management in West
Africa. Funke has over 15 years’ experience in private equity with the last 5 years focused on investing in Commercial Real Estate. Funke is a chartered accountant and holds a Bachelor of
Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos and a Master in Finance from the London Business School.
Laide Agboola holds a Master of Science degree in Finance and a Diploma of Finance from Imperial College Business School, London, as well as a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sheffield, Sheffield. Currently, he is the Founding Managing Partner and Director of Purple Capital Partners Limited, a specialist investment firm with interest in Principal Investment and Real Estate. Under his guidance, Purple Capital Partners have developed and financed investments in the real estate and financial services sector, including the groundbreaking small format retail development, the Maryland Mall. The company has successfully raised funding from a wide investor base and banks. His other experience includes working with leading Corporate Finance teams including those of Investment Banking & Trust Company Plc (now Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc), UBA Global Markets Limited (now UBA Capital Plc, a subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc) with brief stints at BGL Plc and Alitheia Capital Limited. Olaide is a member of the Institute of Directors
Tony is the Head of Property Management at Broll Ghana. He is responsible for the asset management of all commercial properties under management, including all fixed and movable assets. Prior to Joining Broll Ghana, Tony held various positions in the UK with top property consultancy firms, his practice areas included asset management, landlord and tenant work and development appraisals. His client portfolio included pension funds, corporate & private investors and local authorities. Tony holds a Bachelor’s degree in Land Economy from KNUST in Ghana and a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying from the University of Reading.
Tosin Ajose is a business lawyer with over a decade experience. She is well known for her commercial savvy, excellent analytical skills, vast transactional experience and her relentless
desire to add value to her clients through innovative solutions, forward thinking and attention to details. An astute public speaker and an IFLR ranked lawyer, with over 100 transactions to her credit across, corporate commercial, mergers & acquisition, private equity, capital markets, finance (project/corporate) and infrastructure practice areas. Tosin, until very recently headed the Real Estate/Construction, Capital Markets and Corporate Commercial Teams in a top tier commercial law firm in Nigeria. Tosin, has done extensive policy work in the Financial Services space, first as a Legal Enabler under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s FSS 2020 initiative, subsequently as a professional member of the National Housing Finance Programme set up by the Federal Ministry of Finance with a mandate to overhaul the Nigerian mortgage finance sector, she is currently a volunteer with the Presidential Delivery Unit, office of the President Federal Republic of Nigeria and a member of the Mining thematic group of the National Economic Summit Group. Tosin is a thought leader in the Real Estate, Construction and Capital Markets space, she holds to her credit over 10 speaking engagements annually both within and outside the legal industry. Tosin is a regular resource person and trainer at the Pan African University (Lagos Business School) and the Centre for Housing Studies (University of Lagos). Tosin sits on the Board of 2 indigenous Nigerian companies and a not for profit board where her
contributions to strategic thinking and governance are greatly acknowledged.
Wayne leads hotel advisory at JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group in Sub-Saharan Africa. Wayne has spent the past 11 years in the hospitality real estate sector. Wayne has completed assignments across 35 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, specialising in feasibility studies, hotel management company and asset valuations, buy-side advisory for hotels and hospitality platforms, market entry strategies, operator selection and management contract negotiation. Wayne completed an undergraduate degree in Tourism Development at the University of Johannesburg, before completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PDBA) at Wits Business School and an MSc Property Studies at the University of Cape Town.
Temitope Runsewe is the managing director of Dutum limited, a firm focused on essential assets as hospitals, bridges, schools, roads, petrol stations and other major structures. This is
done in partnership with sophisticated customers who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise. Temitope is skilled in negotiation, business planning, analytical skills,
entrepreneurship, and public speaking. He has studied at Harvard Business School and Stanford Business School.
Bolaji Edu is the Broll Nigeria CEO, a position he has held since September 2014. Edu is directly responsible for investment advisory involving the disposal and acquisition of real estate assets. Before joining Broll, he worked at Aviva Investors in the European Real Estate team as an Assistant Fund Manager advising corporate and public-sector pension funds on their real estate portfolios. Prior to that, he worked for JLL as an Associate Director in the Investment Advisory and Strategic Asset Management Team dealing with investment sales and purchases, developments and leasing. Edu has also worked in property management and valuations.
Temilola Sonola is currently the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDGE, Green Building Market Transformation Program contact for Lagos, Nigeria. She also supports markets in the West Africa region and works closely with other regions in ensuring green buildings becomes mainstream in all markets. EDGE, Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, works with the built environment for green building awareness and certifications; with the financial institutions in creating innovative sustainable financing and with the government to find ways of incorporating sustainable building into codes and policies. She has had a rewarding career with IFC for two decades, in different areas of Real Estate & Facilities Management, HR & Administration, Accounting and Client Support Services. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Lagos and is a Facilities
Management Professional of International Facility Management Association.
A consummate real estate professional, Odunayo has been involved in property development, asset management, private equity and advisory services for various asset classes including master planned communities, mixed-use schemes, shopping centres, commercial buildings and hotels. Working in offices on three continents, he has held such roles as Director of Development and Projects at Eagle Hills Abu Dhabi, Development Director at Laurus Development Partners, Vice President at Ocean and Oil Holdings and Business Manager at UACN Property Development Company. Odunayo is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) and a Registered Surveyor and Valuer (RSV). He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in Estate Management.
Engr. Femi Akintunde is an Industrial Engineer and Business Management Professional with strong entrepreneurial drive. Before starting Alpha Mead in 2006, Femi’s career spanned more than 18 years in the Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Financial Services sectors; working with Nestle, Shell and United Bank for Africa respectively. He currently leads Alpha Mead Group; overseeing business operations in Facilities Management, Real Estate & Infrastructure Development, Healthcare Management Service and Property Management &; Advisory across Nigeria and 13 African countries, where Alpha Mead operates. Femi’s expert views on the African Real Estate and Infrastructure market have been featured in both local and international media and he has keynoted events across the continent.
Kehinde Ogundimu is the Chief Executive Office of NMRC and a member of the Board of Directors. He joined NMRC as Chief Financial Officer in March 2015 bringing more than 20 years of finance leadership expertise in public accounting, oil & gas, secondary mortgage, commercial banking and executive management experience to his role in NMRC. In his position as Ag. CEO, he is responsible for the overall corporate direction of NMRC. Within Finance, he guides the Controller, Treasury, Tax and Shareholders’ relations to pursue the company’s growth strategy and meet shareholders’ expectations. Prior to joining NMRC, Kehinde worked and held various positions at Capital One Bank, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Chevron and Price waterhouse Coopers. On the Nigerian capital market, Kehinde has led multiple equity and debt financing transactions and raised several millions of dollars equivalent in Nigerian naira. Kehinde holds a BS in Electrical Engineering, Master of Business Administration, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder.
Fuseina Abu joined Goldkey Properties as the Managing Director in August 2018. Her career spans 20 years in the real estate sector. As Finance Director of Skanska UK’s commercial and
residential development arm, she was responsible for driving financial and real-estate strategy and led a number of high-profile transactions. Prior to that she was Finance Head at Land Securities, the UK’s largest property company, where she had responsibility for the financial management of the Group’s £6 billion London office portfolio. Fuseina holds a BA Hons from The University of Nottingham and is a fellow of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales).
Ayo Ibaru heads the real estate advisory practice at Northcourt. He holds an undergraduate degree in Estate Management and an MBA from the University of Lagos. His previous roles were at Diamond bank (Value Assurance, Insights and Innovation) where he developed frameworks for increased revenue and policy efficiency. At Stanbic IBTC bank, he was part of the Custody/Investor services business where he managed equity and fixed income investments for institutional clients. He also managed enterprise costs at Stanbic IBTC Holding Company. He is a member of the Society of Property Researchers.
Tola is an investment banker and has had various roles within corporate and investment banking with specializations in Real Estate Finance and Project & Structured Finance. He has over 15 years of in-country and regional work experience (including Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire) which spans across various asset classes (with an estimated portfolio size over US$1.5 billion) within the real estate sector. In addition, his project finance deal mandates include debt capital raising for major infrastructural projects in the oil & gas and industrial sectors. His early work experience include treasury operations and commercial banking roles in Fidelity Bank and Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank) in Nigeria respectively.
Tola has a first degree in Economics from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and master degree in International Money, Finance & Investments from Durham University, UK. He obtained a RICS Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management and MBA in Real Estate & Construction Management from the University College of Estate Management, Reading, UK. His research project themed “Africa – The Next Frontier?” focused on the impact of real estate funds on commercial real estate development in sub Saharan Africa. In addition, he has attended a number of dedicated real estate training and conferences both regionally and internationally. Tola has been actively involved in a number of real estate industry advocacy committees set up to engage key regulators to unblock constraints to catalyse the growth and development of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). He is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI).