MLC2024 Speakers
H.E. Aja Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang
Former Vice President of The Gambia
A senior Gambian executive leader with over 35 years of in-depth, diverse, and resilient political, managerial, and operational leadership experience across Africa and the globe. She has served as Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia; Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Women’s Affairs; Policy Adviser on Women to three successive Presidents of the Republic of The Gambia; Chairperson of the National Women’s Council; and Women’s Representative to The Gambia National Economic and Social Council, under the leadership of the First President of the Republic of The Gambia. She has also served as former UNDP Chief Technical Adviser on Gender and Policy Reforms to enforce the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and UN Resolution 1325. Her prior appointments include UNV/UNDP Adviser on Gender, Health and Population in Liberia; UNDP Gambia Financial Manager; Thematic Leader in many sectors; Chairperson of the Staff Association, the Staff Performance Management, Staff Appointment and Promotion Panel, the Training and Asset Control Committees. In addition, she championed the establishment of an unprecedented Coalition of seven Gambian opposition political parties and four civil society organisations (CSOs), which ushered a peaceful democratic dispensation in The Gambia. She is a principled and self-driven leader with a mission to serve humanity and empower people, and she readily embraces challenges as a pathway towards the pursuit of organisational growth and excellence of the AUC if elected. My significant executive experience acquired over the course of her career with UNDP, the Government of the Republic of The Gambia and CSOs, has proven instrumental during high-level and complex negotiations, as well as for coalition and alliance building
H.E. Aja Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang
Former Vice President of The Gambia
Professor PLO Lumumba
Founder of the PLO Lumumba Foundation
Professor PLO Lumumba is the Founder of the PLO Lumumba Foundation and a consultant with Lumumba and Lumumba Advocates, a member of the Africa Justice Group (AJG). An accomplished legal professional, Lumumba holds LL.B and LL.M Degrees in Law from the University of Nairobi and a Doctor of Law (LL.D) in the Law of the Sea from the University of Ghent, Belgium. He is an Advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and Tanganyika, a certified mediator, and holds honorary Doctorate degrees from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and Bells University in Nigeria. With a rich background, Lumumba has served in various leadership roles, including as the former Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law, Secretary and Chief Executive of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC), and Director and Chief Executive of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). A renowned public speaker, Lumumba has delivered thousands of speeches across diverse subjects, solidifying his position as one of the leading voices in Kenya and the African Diaspora. He is also the founder of impactful organizations such as the PLO Lumumba Foundation, the Association of the Citizens Against Corruption (ACAC), and the Movement for Dialogue and Non-Violence (MODAN). Prof. Lumumba has been twice recognized as one of the 100 most influential Africans.
Professor PLO Lumumba
Founder of the PLO Lumumba Foundation
Dr. Vincent Ogutu
Vice-Chancellor - Strathmore University
Dr. Vincent Ogutu serves as the Vice-Chancellor of Strathmore University, where he also lectures on Organisational Behaviour, Leadership, Social Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. Passionate about inspiring personal growth and social impact, he delivers TEDx talks, challenges norms on television and social media, and champions meaningful work environments. Previously the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ogutu oversaw strategy, fundraising, and community outreach. With a Ph.D. in Organisational Management, he focuses on the Psychology of meaningful work, aiding organisations and individuals in discovering purpose. Additionally, his expertise extends to social entrepreneurship and innovation, where he developed “The Innovation Algorithm.” Dr. Ogutu actively contributes to Kenya’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, sitting on boards and advising start-ups. His commitment lies in encouraging businesses and individuals to leverage creativity and social innovation for positive change.
Dr. Vincent Ogutu
Vice Chancellor, Strathmore University
Mr. Wilben Short
Deputy Board Chair,BCA Leadership
Mr. Wilben Short is a Sierra Leonean who has over thirty-years board level experience in the Consulting, Hospitality, Transport and Event Management industries both in Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. Mr Short is a partner at CTI Consulting, a leadership coaching and executive training company.
Wilben holds a combined honours degree in Physics and Electronic Engineering from Leeds University and an MBA from Cranfield Business School. He is also a certified trainer by the John Maxwell Institute program “Developing The Leader Within You
Mr. Wilben Short
Deputy Board Chair,BCA Leadership
Dr. Martin Oduor-Otieno
Founder, The Leadership Group and BCA Coach
Martin is an accomplished Executive Coach and independent senior business advisor with over 35 years of experience in people issues across Eastern and Southern Africa. He led KCB Bank Group as CEO, served in senior leadership roles at Barclays Bank, and contributed to Deloitte as a Partner in their Financial Services Industry practice. Martin, a seasoned business leader, has also held a key position as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance/Treasury, Government of Kenya. Currently, he serves on several blue-chip company boards as a non-executive director.
Dr. Martin Oduor-Otieno
Founder, The Leadership Group and BCA Coach
Charity C. Lumpa
Board Chair, BCA Leadership
Ms. Lumpa is a seasoned executive with a diverse background in insurance, banking, tourism, and telecommunications. With notable roles as Managing Director of Ecobank Zambia Limited and Airtel Networks Zambia Plc, she successfully established Ecobank Zambia as a greenfield financial institution in 2008. Currently, Ms. Lumpa serves as the Board Chairman of Zambia National Commercial Bank Plc (Zanaco Plc) and holds key positions in various organizations, including St. Ignatius College, Zambia National Advisory Board, and Livingstone International University. She is actively involved in mentoring and advisory roles, contributing to the growth and development of both institutions and individuals.
Charity C. Lumpa
Board Chair, BCA Leadership
Allan Kilavuka
CEO Kenya Airways
Allan Kilavuka is the Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways Plc. He has over 24 years of experience in leadership and management, specializing in change management, financial planning, and company compliance. Allan has been successful in new organization setups and turnarounds of businesses in Africa, including two GE Africa businesses in South Africa.
He started his career at Deloitte East Africa and holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Nairobi. Allan is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and has trained at GE’s Crotonville Leadership Institute in New York. He’s also a Non-Executive Board Member of two Kenya Airways subsidiaries.
Allan Kilavuka
CEO, Kenya Airways
Catherine Musakali
Founder, Women on Boards Network
Catherine Musakali is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya.
She is the Founder of Dorion Associates LLP, a firm specializing in governance matters and commercial legal consultancies. Prior to founding Dorion Associates, Catherine worked for Kenya Shell Limited (Now Vivo Energy Kenya Limited) as their Company Secretary and Head of Legal for over fifteen (15) years, during which period she managed the Legal Functions of Shell operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia. She has worked for shell in the United Kingdom where she specialized in Mergers and Acquisitions and was the Legal Focal Point for all Contracting and Procurement matters for its businesses in the 23 Countries in Africa.
She has served as the Chairman of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK) and also sat on the Council of the Corporate Secretaries International Association, which is a global body bringing together governance professionals. She also consults for the IFC
Catherine Musakali
Founder, Women on Boards Network
Mercy Wanjau
Secretary to Cabinet, Republic of Kenya
Mercy Wanjau is a seasoned commercial lawyer, regulatory expert, and governance specialist. With over 15 years of experience, she has played a pivotal role in shaping and harmonizing ICT policies and regulations locally, regionally, and internationally. Mrs. Wanjau, a Certified Secretary and Professional Mediator, has a strong commitment to leveraging responsive public policy, regulatory reforms, and innovative technologies for impactful development. As the chair of the COVID-19 ICT Advisory committee, she spearheaded the industry’s response to the pandemic in Kenya, earning recognition, including the prestigious Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) in 2020.
Mercy Wanjau
Secretary to Cabinet, Republic of Kenya
Ruth Zaipuna
Chief Executive Officer - NMB Bank Tanzania
Ms. Ruth Zaipuna is a transformational and award-winning Banker with a strong track record of Sustainable Value Creation and Solid Performance Delivery. She is an Associate Certified Public Accountant (ACPA (T)) and a holder of a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Dar-es-Salaam. She is the Chief Executive Officer of NMB Bank Plc, Tanzania. Ms. Ruth is a passionate advocate and champion of gender equality, economic empowerment, and inclusive growth. She currently serves as an Honorary Member in the Advisory Committee for the Tanzania Generation Equality Programme.
Ruth Zaipuna
Chief Executive Officer, NMB Bank Tanzania
Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale
Chairman, Malawi Electoral Commission
Justice Kachale joined the Malawi Judiciary as an Assistant Registrar of the High Court after his first Law Degree then proceeded to do his masters Degree. He served as the Malawi National Committee on Community Service, Chief Resident Magistrate, where he was involved in revision and drafting of Subordinate court civil procedure rules. He also served as the Malawi National Committee on Community Service, Chief Resident Magistrate, where he contributed to the revision and drafting of Subordinate court civil procedure rules.
Justice Chifundo is also the Chairperson of the Malawi Judicial Training Committee and a member of the Judicial Service Commission.
He currently serves as the Chairman of Malawi Electoral Commission
Apart from being a judge, he is a member and also a minister of the word of God (Word Alive Ministries International).
Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale
Chairman, Malawi Electoral Commission
Caren Wakoli
Founder and Executive Director of the Emerging Leaders Foundation (ELF)
Karen Wakoli is a certified leadership coach, transformational leadership trainer, and social entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in youth empowerment work in Kenya and Africa. As the Founder and Executive Director of the Emerging Leaders Foundation (ELF), Caren focuses on raising young people as positive agents of change through effective participation in governance and decision-making processes. She is a trailblazer, having been the first female Vice Chairperson of the Student’s Organization of Nairobi University (SONU), elected for three consecutive terms. Caren actively contributes to policy formulation processes, serving on various boards, both governmental and non-governmental, including The Youth Congress, YALI East Africa, Impact Africa Industries, Siasa Place, and DSW Kenya Chapter. Her leadership has been recognized, qualifying as a finalist in the CEO Global Most Influential Women in Business and Government in 2017.
Caren Wakoli
Founder and Executive Director of the Emerging Leaders Foundation (ELF)
Dave Sahadath
Chairman and CEO - Caribbean Asset Holdings
A visionary entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in Real Estate, he founded Sunbeam Realty and Sunbeam Travel and Tours, establishing them as top Caribbean-owned businesses in Brooklyn, New York. His ultimate goal is to create a globally recognized brand, leading to the inception of Caribbean Asset Holdings. As the Chairman and CEO, the group encompasses diverse industries, including Card Processing, Electronic Payments, I.T and engineering services, Digital Advertising, Financial Services, Business Consulting, project Financing, and Real Estate, each headed by skilled partners. Additionally, he has a strong background in board leadership, having chaired the Flatbush YMCA board for an unprecedented 4 terms, overseeing significant renovations and expansions
Dave Sahadath
Founder and Executive Chairman, Global Integrated FinTech Solutions and Pay Anywhere Global Incorporated
Yaw Nsarkoh
Investor
Yaw Nsarkoh has extensive experience, spanning over 30 years with Unilever, in leadership and managing market conditions at strategic levels across developing and developed economies. His areas of expertise include Business Development, Strategic Leadership, Marketing and Branding, Corporate Governance and Organisational Strategy and Leadership. He is currently an Executive Vice President of Unilever based in the UK. He was the former Executive Vice President of Unilever Ghana and Nigeria. Prior to this, he served as the Managing Director for Unilever Nigeria and Managing Director, Unilever, East and Southern Africa, based in Kenya from 2010 to 2013.
Yaw has played several strategic roles on Boards in Ghana and across Africa. Key amongst these roles are as Executive Board Member, Unilever Ghana, Council Member, Trade/Employee Associations and Strategic Private Sector committees, Nigeria. He was previously Director, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Chairman, East African Shippers Council and Director, Changing Lives Endowment Fund (CLEF), Ghana. Yaw holds a postgraduate Diploma in Management from Henley Management College, United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Yaw Nsarkoh
Investor, Advisor
H.E. Maurice Makoloo
Ambassador & Permanent Representative Republic of Kenya Mission to Vienna, Austria
Maurice is leading the development and execution of a regional strategy to support Habitat’s existing network in the region, research new opportunities and scale Habitat’s impact across Africa. Maurice Makoloo has over 20 years of experience as a strategic global nonprofit executive leader, who has developed and led successful organizations in Africa. He is a lawyer by training. Prior to joining the philanthropic sector, Maurice co-founded a non-governmental organization through which he fought for the interests of communities especially on natural resources governance and environmental protection. Maurice used his legal practice to carry out strategic and public interest litigation. For nine years, he served as the Regional Director at the Ford Foundation, overseeing grantmaking in East Africa till January 2021. In that role, he stewarded strategic partnerships with government, private sector and development partners.
H.E. Maurice Makoloo
Ambassador & Permanent Representative Republic of Kenya Mission to Vienna, Austria
Mr. Karan Kapoor
Founder, Snow Trading
Mr. Karan Kapoor
Founder, Snow Trading
Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira
Founder, FDH Financial Holdings Limited, Malawi
Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira is the founder of FDH Bank and a prominent business leader known for his visionary and results-oriented approach. He advocates for ethical business practices and serves on various committees and boards. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited, Board Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SMEA) and Reunion Insurance Limited, and President of Adventists-Lay Persons in Services & Industry (ASI Malawi). He is also a Trustee of the Cancer Association of Malawi, the Diabetes Association of Malawi, and several educational associations. Previously, he held significant roles in the financial industry, including positions with the Reserve Bank of Malawi, the Malawi Investments Promotion Agency, and the Bankers Association of Malawi. Dr. Mpinganjira is also interested in financial inclusion, corporate strategy, and business sustainability.
Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira
Founder, FDH Financial Holdings Limited, Malawi
Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira
Founder, FDH Financial Holdings Limited, Malawi
Hon. Sicily K. Kariuki, EGH
Founder & CEO, Re-imagineimpact Associates
H.E. Maurice Makoloo
Ambassador & Permanent Representative Republic of Kenya Mission to Vienna, Austria
Dr Toseef Din is the CEO of MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She is an accomplished management professional with extensive experience of over 16 years, 9 years of which are in healthcare management at the MP Shah Hospital. Under her leadership MP Shah Hospital has realized a number of projects including: the Diabetes Care Centre, a new pediatric unit, the launch of the bariatric surgery program, a kidney transplant programme, the launch of the new village medical centre, among others.
Dr. Toseef Din
Chief Executive Officer, MP Shah Hospital
Mr. Karan Kapoor
Founder, Snow Trading
Professor Laban Ayiro is the Vice Chancellor of Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya. From September 2016 to March 2018, he was the Acting Vice Chancellor of Moi University. His teaching career began in 1977 as a Chemistry teacher, and he later served as a Principal at various Kenyan high schools, including Lubinu Boys, where a dormitory is named in his honor. He held several roles at the Kenyan Ministry of Education, including Provincial Director of Education and Senior Deputy Director for Policy and Planning. At Moi University, he was a Professor of Research Methods and Statistics and the Director of Quality Assurance and Standards. He is also a consultant in Research, Organizational Leadership, and Performance.
Prof. Laban Ayiro
Vice Chancellor, Daystar University
Mr. Karan Kapoor
Founder, Snow Trading
Sophie Ndong is a gospel singer, songwriter, worship leader, and professional humanitarian. Born in Dakar, Senegal, she grew up in a musically inclined family, with her mother as a lead singer and her father as a choir master. Sophie began singing publicly at age 7 and gained national recognition in Senegal through various performances.
She later moved to France and the United States, blending African sonorities with rhythm and blues, soul, and jazz. Sophie has traveled to over 35 countries, speaks five languages, and has a humanitarian career spanning over 10 years with various UN and INGO roles. She holds three Master’s degrees in Law, Economics & Management – International Relations & Strategy, Information and Communication Science, and a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications & Cultural Mediation. She also studied Theology in Dakar.
A divorced mother of two, Sophie is deeply committed to her Christian faith, which influences her music and ministry. Under the mentorship of Dr. Modupe Taylor-Pearce, she has overcome personal trials and aims to inspire others to do the same. Her mission is to use her musical gifts to bring people closer to God and spread the message of His love and mercy.
Sophie Ndong
Country Director, SOS Children Village, Sierra Leone
Mr. Karan Kapoor
Founder, Snow Trading
An ardent infantry retired military Three-Star-General, Njuki Mwaniki holds a Masters of Arts in War in the Modern World (Distinction) from The King’s College, London. He holds a Diploma in International Studies from the University of Nairobi, Diploma in Military strategy from the National defense University, Beijing and a Certificate in Scriptualizing from Harvard University Divinity School. He brings on board a wealth of experience in Management and Leadership of disciplined services spanning over 40 years.
Lt. Gen. Njuki Mwaniki
Retired Military Three-Star-General
Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale
Chairman, Malawi Electoral Commission
David Gatende retired in May 2022 from being Group CEO of Davis & Shirtliff (D&S) after working there for 36 years. D&S is a 77-year-old regional industry leader that prides itself in its purpose which is “To improve people’s lives by providing water and energy solutions across Africa”. David retains an involvement with D&S as a non-executive director and is a trustee with Loop PayCo who offer digital banking services.
Since retiring he and his wife, Laimani, have set up Elendi Ltd which has two arms; the business arm focusses on running properties they own, executive coaching and consultancy. The social contribution arm focusses on running programmes and mentorships that help men and women in emotional healing and well-being.
David’s training is broad as it covers an undergraduate Agricultural Engineering degree from McGill University, an MBA in Strategic Management & International Business from USIU-A and an MA in Counselling & Psychology from Daystar University. He attended the London Business School, Senior Executive Programme, has AoEC accreditation as an Executive Coach, a Marketing Diploma from the Marketing Society of Kenya, a Creative Writing Certificate and certification from the Sirdar Applied Directorship Programme.
David describes himself as a follower of Jesus which is important to him as this has formed his personal beliefs and values and guided all the key decisions he has made. Over the years, he has served in various capacities in churches, neighbourhood committees, business associations and sports clubs.
He is enthusiastic about keeping fit which he primarily does through playing squash and aerobics. He enjoys travelling, sailing, watching movies, live theatre, and listening to audio books and podcasts.
He is married to Laimani, has three adult daughters, Wambui, Muthike and Kamwende, a son-in-law, Edgar, and one granddaughter, Leilani.
David Gatende
Non Executive Director
Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale
Chairman, Malawi Electoral Commission
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