Martin Rama

Former World Bank Chief Economist for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region

Martín Rama is currently a consultant for the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Vice Presidency at the World Bank in Washington, DC, and a Senior Economic Advisor for EnCity Group in Singapore. He served as the Chief Economist for the Latin America and Caribbean region of the World Bank from 2019 to 2021 and as the Chief Economist for its South Asia region (based in Delhi) from 2013 to 2018. Previously he was the Director of the World Development Report (WDR) 2013, on Jobs. From 2002 to 2010, Martín Rama was based in Hanoi, where he led the economic program of the World Bank in Vietnam. Prior to moving to operations, he spent ten years with the research department of the World Bank. In parallel with his World Bank duties, from 1990 to 2005 he was a visiting professor at the graduate program in development economics at the Université de Paris I. Martín Rama gained his degree in economics from the Universidad de la República (Uruguay) in 1981, and his PhD in macroeconomics from the Université de Paris I (France) in 1985.

Joachim Ruecker

German Diplomat and Senior Advisor, Allbright Stonebridge Group

Ambassador (ret.) Joachim Ruecker is a Senior Advisor at ASG, specializing in management, compliance, special economic zones (SEZs), sustainable development zones, migration, urbanization, and other key areas. With extensive experience in diplomacy, economic policy, human rights, and public infrastructure, he has also served as a consultant to governments and international organizations. Notably, he played a pivotal role as the Special Representative of the Federal Government of Germany for the Middle East Stability Partnership, overseeing the implementation of the “Jordan Compact” to create SEZs in Jordan and generate employment opportunities for Jordanian citizens and Syrian refugees.

Ambassador Ruecker’s distinguished career includes roles as Germany’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, President of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General in Kosovo, and other key diplomatic positions. He has also served as Mayor of Sindelfingen, where he initiated environmentally conscious policies and utility restructuring. Holding a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Freiburg, he currently shares his expertise by teaching macroeconomics and foreign trade at Nuertingen-Geislingen University, fluently communicating in English, French, German, and conversational Swedish.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji

Co-founder of Itana, Future Africa, Andela, and Flutterwave

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is a faith-driven investor and entrepreneur. He is passionate about partnering with mission-driven innovators and investors building an African future where prosperity and purpose are within everyone’s reach. He is currently the CEO and General Partner of Future Africa, an early-stage venture capital firm with a portfolio of 100 companies collectively worth over $6 billion. Before founding the Fund, he was the founding CEO of Flutterwave, a billion-dollar global payments platform connecting African businesses and individuals to the global economy. He was also the co-founder of Andela, a billion-dollar business that matches Africa’s top engineering talent to global technology companies. Andela is also backed by top global investors like Spark Capital, Google Ventures, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and SoftBank amongst others.

Leander Moons

Founder, Leander Moons BV & OMT Architects GmbH

Leander Moons founded his own design and project management consultancy company, Leander Moons Inc., in 2019 in New York. As the project portfolio grew rapidly, Leander, together with Andreas Trampe-Kieslich, established OMT Architects GmbH in Berlin in 2021. Both companies work seamlessly together from the concept design phase through the project delivery on-site, with a goal to create and implement sustainable, equitable, and empowering design solutions for building projects. The most recent projects have placed a special focus on the innovative integration of locally sourced, sustainable building materials, particularly timber.

Before starting his own businesses, Leander worked for leading architectural offices in Europe (Baumschlager Eberle Architects), Africa (Bowman Architects Associates), and North America (nbbj). He supervised the Berlin-based team of Baumschlager Eberle Architects and the Nairobi office of Bowman Architects. He has been leading international consultant teams for complex projects around the globe. Leander has contributed to the realization of numerous projects in different building typologies and his works have received multiple architectural awards.

Chirag Shah

Founder & CEO, 1 International FinCentre Associates

Chirag Shah is the Founder and CEO of 1 International FinCentre Associates, an institution that supports governments and investors in creating and operating new economic cities and clusters worldwide. The company aims to bring the experience of world-class cities like Dubai to other markets, and develop world-class infrastructure, both legal and physical, that enables individuals, businesses, and investors to enjoy high economic and social benefits.

With over twenty-five years of experience in various leadership roles, including Strategy, Business Development, Investment, and Consulting, Chirag has achieved double-digit growth and high-impact influence in significant emerging market blocks of the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Central, and South America. He has worked in the Government sector for 12 years in Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, in the Financial Sector with American Express, and Consulting with Andersen.

Daniel Yu

Founder and CEO, Wasoko

Daniel Yu is an entrepreneur and software developer with extensive personal and professional experience working and traveling across 70+ countries, primarily in emerging economies (Africa, the Middle East, Central America, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and China). Daniel is the founder and CEO of Wasoko, a tech company transforming the $600 billion market of essential goods sold through mom-and-pop stores in Africa through on-demand ordering, delivery, and financing. Backed by over $100M in investment from Tiger Global and other leading investors, he is based in East Africa with ultimate responsibility over all businesses serving tens of thousands of merchants across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia while partnering with leading manufacturers including Unilever and Procter & Gamble.

Francis Gatare

CEO, Rwanda Development Board

The Honorable Francis Gatare is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board. He has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Previously he has been CEO of both the Rwanda Development Board from 2014-2017 and the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board between 2017-2021. From October 2009 to July 2014, he served as Principal Private Secretary to H.E. the President of the Republic of Rwanda. He also served as the Chief Economist and Deputy Head of Policy and Strategy in the Office of the President.

Francis Gatare is a professional economist, a graduate of Makerere University, University of Windsor in Canada, and is a Mason Fellow at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Alby Bocanegra

Chief Future Officer and Founder, The Urban Futurist

Alby Bocanegra is the Founder and Chief Future Officer of The Urban Futurist Inc., a forward-thinking consultancy dedicated to shaping the future of cities. As an advisor and consultant, he specializes in creating effective strategies, governance models, and transformative engagements that benefit everyone. Additionally, Alby serves as an Advisory Board Member on Digital Twins for the World Economic Forum and is the “Futurist in Residence” at the Smart Cities Council, where he organizes impactful global events that address critical urban tech issues.

Previously, Alby held various high-level positions, including Vice President of Urban Technology and Global City Partnerships at Mastercard. He also served as Interim Chief Technology Officer in the Mayor’s Office in the City of New York, co-founding the influential Cities Coalition for Digital Rights alongside Amsterdam, Barcelona, and the United Nations. With his distinguished career spanning multiple sectors, Alby has made a global impact.

Dr. Konyango Charles Otieno

National Director of Urban Development, State Department for Housing and Urban Development, Kenya

Dr. Konyango is a highly experienced Urban and Regional Development Planner and Manager with 27 years of experience in public service. He has worked in different parts of Kenya and held various positions, including Director of Planning and Chief Government Advisor on urban and regional development planning and management. His previous workstations include the Ministry of Lands, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Northern Kenya, the National Land Commission, and lastly the State Department of Housing and Urban Development. Dr. Konyango has worked with the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) and has been recognized for his contributions to Kenya’s development with a Head of State Commendation. His contributions include innovative planning for the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. He helped to formulate the SAL Policy (ASALs), led the team that formulated the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) and assisted in establishing a Knowledge Management and Knowledge Brokering Centre for the ASALS in Kenya.

Sebastian Dietzold

CEO, CPS Project Manager, Silicon Zanzibar

Sebastian spent his childhood in Tanzania and currently resides in Mbweni Zanzibar with his wife and three children, after living in Germany for 15 years. He pursued civil engineering in England and Germany and developed expertise in real estate investment. During his tenure in Germany, Dietzold was associated with renowned companies such as Deutsche Bank, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and KPMG. In 2012, Dietzold and his wife Katrin established CPS with the goal of creating sustainable and empowering urban developments in Africa.

Dr. Leonard Wantchekon

Founder, African School of Economics

Dr. Leonard Wantchekon is the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University, as well as a Professor of Politics and International Affairs. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Association, and has served as Secretary of the American Political Science Association and on the Executive Committee of the Afrobarometer Network. Wantchekon is also the Founder and President of the African School of Economics, which opened in Benin in 2014 (and has since added campuses in Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria), and the Founder and President of the Pan-African Scientific Research Council. He previously served as a professor at New York University and Yale University and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University.

Preston Mendenhall

Executive Vice President; Country Head, Kenya, at Rendeavour

Preston Mendenhall has extensive experience of over 20 years in emerging markets. Currently, he is leading the sales, marketing, and business development efforts for Rendeavour’s new city developments. Before joining Rendeavour, Mendenhall served as the COO of Tatu City, where he managed daily operations of a 5,000-acre Special Economic Zone in Kenya. Mendenhall also had a successful career in marketing and strategy working for Renaissance Group and Russian Standard. He began his career as a producer and correspondent for NBC News covering global events in the Soviet successor states, Europe, Central and South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East from 1993 to 2006.

Isabel Wetzel

Programme Management Officer, Innovation & Cities, UN-Habitat

Isabel is a Programme Management Officer in UN-Habitat’s Innovation Unit, the United Nations agency responsible for sustainable cities. In her role, she currently leads the Global Alliance of Mayors on Digital Cooperation among other projects related to digitalization and climate smart cities. She has over 10 years of experience in sustainable urban development, with a keen interest in bridging public policy and innovative solutions to improve people’s lives and create better cities for all. Her expertise lies in policy advice and formulation, strategic research, data analysis, and partnership development in areas of digital technology, climate-smart cities, and local capacity building. In her ability to influence strategic development decisions, she has negotiated a variety of projects with diverse partners. Countries she has worked in include Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Seychelles, São Tomé and Príncipe, China, Myanmar, and Iran. Prior to the UN, she worked in quality assurance and portfolio management at the World Bank in Washington, DC, USA. Isabel holds an MSc in Urbanization and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a BA in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences from the University College Maastricht. She holds certificates in project management, results-based management, and design thinking. Isabel also sits on the board of Apprenticeship Job Work (AJW Africa) as well as the Aflé Foundation. She is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Vivek Mittal

CEO, Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfiDA)

Vivek Mittal is an experienced clean energy expert who guides start-ups in Africa and Asia. He advises development finance institutions and serves as an Independent Investment Committee Member for the Clean Energy Transition Fund in Turkey and South-Eastern Europe. Throughout his nearly thirty-year career, he has co-founded and led three renewable energy developers and held senior project finance positions at several banks including ING Bank, Enron Europe Limited, Edison Capital Europe Limited, and Bank of Scotland. He has financed numerous innovative and first-of-a-kind power and renewable energy projects in over thirty countries worldwide.

Pudence Rubingisa

Mayor of Kigali

Pudence Rubingisa was elected to a five-year term as Mayor of Kigali in 2019. Throughout his professional career, he has been involved in the world of academia and finance: he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration and Finance at the University of Rwanda, and before that, he was Vice-Rector in charge of Finance Administration at the Higher Institute of Agriculture and Livestock, he was also Director of the Public Investment Technical Team at the Ministry of Finance. Before being elected Mayor of Kigali, he was the Managing Director of Intare Investments Ltd. In March 2020, as Rwanda faced the onset of a major health crisis related to the Covid-19 pandemic, he was able to bring the crisis under control in Kigali, with major screening and preventive measures throughout the City. Rubingisa holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Saint Louis – Belgium and a post-graduate diploma in Public Procurement from the ILI. Rubingisa Pudence’s topics of interest include public finance, urban planning, affordable housing, land use planning, and decentralization. He is very interested in sports, especially running. He is also very passionate about Car Free Day, he joins the people of Kigali every time and actively participates in this car-free day.

Michael Castle-Miller

Partner, Albright Stonebridge Group

Michael Castle-Miller is a Partner and special economic zones and governance reform special economic zones and governance reform Lead at Albright Stonebridge Group. He specializes in designing institutional frameworks to govern special economic zones (SEZs), cities, semi-autonomous jurisdictions, and localized policy reforms. With over 35 countries under his belt, he assists clients in drafting laws and regulations, creating administrative agencies, developing policies, and structuring public-private partnerships.

Michael also leads Refugee Cities/SDZ Alliance, a non-profit organization that creates special zones to provide opportunities for refugees and other forced migrants to legally work, start businesses, and build homes and communities while displaced. Prior to this, Michael led Politas Consulting, as well as provided legal and policy advice to government and private-sector clients, and worked at Locus Economica and the World Bank.

Janice Kotut

Partner, Pan-Africa Infrastructure Advisory, KPMG East Africa

Janice is an Infrastructure Finance specialist with over 17 years of experience in transaction structuring, capital raising through to financial close, strategy development, and capital markets. She is also a thought leader in climate finance, Public Private Partnerships, long-term local currency mobilization, blended finance, and guarantees. Janice has worked in the Banking sector in Africa, Asia, and the United Kingdom. Most recently, she was the Managing Director of GuarantCo – part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group. She has served as a member of the Public Private Partnerships Petitions Committee, among other Boards. Janice holds an Executive MBA from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford, a Master of Laws in Banking and Finance from Kings College, London, and a Bachelor of Laws from Warwick University. Janice will lead on the infrastructure funding and financing pillar across the continent from Nairobi.

Darl Uzu

Lead, Enyimba Economic City

Darl Uzu is the Founder, Managing Director, and CEO of Crown Realties Plc. He is a prominent figure in the Nigerian real estate industry and also serves as the lead consultant for Enyimba Economic City. At 70 years of age, Uzu possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience, having previously served as the Head of Development for Knight Frank & Rutley in the 1980s, as well as teaching at Harvard University before establishing Crown Realties Plc.

Crown Realties Plc is spearheading the PPP project for Enyimba Economic City, which involves collaboration between the private sector, the Abia State Government, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. This project aims to develop a greenfield city spanning 9,464 hectares that will foster growth in various sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, entertainment, education, innovation technology hub, commercial, lifestyle residential, and aviation. The overarching goal is to create a self-sustaining business hub that will integrate Nigerian businesses into regional and global value chains.

Magatte Wade

Founder & CEO at Skin Is Skin

Magatte Wade is an entrepreneur and advocate for African dignity and prosperity. Her TED talk, “Why it is too hard to start a business in Africa – and how to change it” has been seen by more than 600K people. She is a Forbes “20 Youngest Power Women in Africa”, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum at Davos, a TED Global Africa Fellow, and a “Leading Woman in Wellness” award winner by the Global Wellness Summit. In 2014 she was featured on the cover of Forbes Afrique for being the person in Francophone Africa having the greatest positive impact on the future. She serves as the Director of the Atlas Network’s Center for African Prosperity.

Wade is a member of the board of Directors of Conscious Capitalism Inc. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Whole Planet Foundation, of Whole Foods Market. She has written for The Guardian, HuffingtonPost.com, and Barron’s, and has been profiled by the NYT. She has spoken at numerous high-profile venues including the U.N., The Clinton Global Initiative, the Aspen Institute, TED, Conscious Capitalism, and many dozens of universities including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, UC Berkeley, Dartmouth, and the Wharton School of Business.

Josephine Agbeko

City Adviser, Accra

Josephine Agbeko serves as City Advisor for Inclusive Climate Action, for C40. C40 is a global network of mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis. In her role, she acts as the focal point for the City of Accra and will oversee and deliver deep-dive technical and strategic support to relevant departments in the City Administration. She supports the implementation of strategic inclusive climate actions/policies/initiatives identified within Accra’s Climate Action Plan that responds to the needs, capacities, and resilience-building priorities of vulnerable communities, informal workers, and informal settlement dwellers.

Prior to C40, she worked as an Engagement and Policy Officer with Green Africa Youth Organisation in a role where she collaborated with civil society actors in Africa to mainstream Zero Waste and to build context-relevant programs for climate action. Her program management experience spans the private sector and civil society and includes initiatives in climate resilience, sustainable business, and environmental and social sustainability, having worked as Programme Manager with Footprints Africa to support businesses in building capacity to improve their overall social and environmental impact. She holds a Master’s degree specialization in Public Policy and Management from the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Emilia Siwingwa

Lawyer, Sustainable Development Advocate, American Bar Foundation Fellow

Emilia Siwingwa is a highly experienced executive who has held national and regional director positions for both African and international organizations. She also has a strong background in non-profit board leadership, having served as Chairperson of Greenpeace Africa.

Siwingwa is an admitted attorney and registered arbitrator with 18 years of professional experience. She has worked within the African human rights system and governance architecture, as well as in the legal and international development sectors in the East and Southern African regional economic communities (RECs).

Currently, Siwingwa is the Principal of a legal advisory firm that provides high-level legal services. She also founded the African Hub for Accountability and Development Initiatives (AHADI), which focuses on co-creating sustainable development solutions and strengthening people-led accountability across the continent.

Siwingwa serves on several non-profit boards and has been appointed by Tanzanian Cabinet Ministers to serve on committees and boards. She has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Management in Tanzania. Additionally, she is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, which is an invitation-only membership. She has also been named an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow.

Willie Vos

CEO, Waterfall City

With a distinguished career spanning over 27 years in the property sector, Willie Vos has emerged as a seasoned senior executive with expertise in real estate, property management, and asset management. Throughout his extensive career, Vos has demonstrated success in various domains such as business development, revenue generation, cost and operations management, and risk mitigation. His strategic acumen and adept leadership have consistently propelled organizations to new heights, earning him a reputation as a transformative force in the industry.

Vos’s passion has found its culmination in the dynamic field of smart city planning, development, and management. Notably, he stands as a driving force alongside his partners, shaping the trajectory of the newly rebranded 2,200-hectare Waterfall City. This ambitious endeavor has emerged as a testament to innovation and excellence within Gauteng, with hopes to emerge as a thriving economic hub that rivals established giants such as Sandton and Johannesburg’s central business district.

Emilia Siwingwa

Lawyer, Sustainable Development Advocate, American Bar Foundation Fellow

Emilia Siwingwa is a highly experienced executive who has held national and regional director positions for both African and international organizations. She also has a strong background in non-profit board leadership, having served as Chairperson of Greenpeace Africa.

Siwingwa is an admitted attorney and registered arbitrator with 18 years of professional experience. She has worked within the African human rights system and governance architecture, as well as in the legal and international development sectors in the East and Southern African regional economic communities (RECs).

Currently, Siwingwa is the Principal of a legal advisory firm that provides high-level legal services. She also founded the African Hub for Accountability and Development Initiatives (AHADI), which focuses on co-creating sustainable development solutions and strengthening people-led accountability across the continent.

Siwingwa serves on several non-profit boards and has been appointed by Tanzanian Cabinet Ministers to serve on committees and boards. She has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Management in Tanzania. Additionally, she is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, which is an invitation-only membership. She has also been named an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow.