Emmanuel Kofi Gavu, Dr.-Ing. completed his Postdoctoral fellowship in Real Estate and Urban Development at the Harvard University, PhD in Spatial Planning at the TU Dortmund University in Germany. He holds an MSc in GIS from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and a BSc in Land Economy from KNUST Ghana. His main fields of teaching and research are urban management and sustainability, real estate and housing market analysis. He has published widely in areas such as sustainable energy transitions, housing market dynamics and real estate development/ education. He is a Consultant for the World Bank, Secretary of the International Real Estate Society (IRES), Advisor of the Future Leaders of the African

Ph.D. in Real Estate and Construction Management
Program director for KTH's bachelor program in Real Estate and Finance, coordinator for the national exam to assess de-registered real estate agents on behalf of the Swedish Real Estate Agents' Inspectorate (FMI) and coordinator for KTH’s package för contract education courses aimed for realtors, urban planners, property managers, bankers and other professionals.

Researcher and lecturer at the division of Real Estate and Financial Systems at KTH - Sweden's leading academic environment for education and research in law, economics, management, and financing related to real estate development, construction and property management and geodesy.

Research focus: Property management, Housing economics with a focus on multifamily housing and housing finance strategies.

Dr. Rachael Mirembe Arinaitwe is a seasoned real estate professional, academic, and industry leader with close to 20 years of experience across Uganda, East Africa, and the broader African real estate sector. She holds a PhD in Real Estate from the University of Cape Town, with a strong focus on real estate markets, education, and sustainability.

She currently serves as the Programme Coordinator for the Real Estate Programme at Makerere University Business School, where she is actively involved in shaping the next generation of real estate professionals. Dr. Rachael is also the CEO of the Global Institute of Property Studies (GIPS), an institution committed to advancing real estate education and professional development in Africa.

In addition, she leads Green Wave Property and Facilities Management, a firm dedicated to delivering sustainable and innovative property and facilities management solutions.

As Chair of the AfRES 2026 Conference in Kampala, Dr.Rachael brings a unique blend of academic excellence, industry expertise, and regional leadership to the advancement of real estate practice and research in Africa.

Ph.D. in Real Estate and Construction Management
Program director for KTH's bachelor program in Real Estate and Finance, coordinator for the national exam to assess de-registered real estate agents on behalf of the Swedish Real Estate Agents' Inspectorate (FMI) and coordinator for KTH’s package för contract education courses aimed for realtors, urban planners, property managers, bankers and other professionals.

Researcher and lecturer at the division of Real Estate and Financial Systems at KTH - Sweden's leading academic environment for education and research in law, economics, management, and financing related to real estate development, construction and property management and geodesy.

Research focus: Property management, Housing economics with a focus on multifamily housing and housing finance strategies.

Eng. Munyabugingo Bonaventure is the Chair Committee on AfRES Francophone Project.
He is a Professional Civil Engineer, Valuer, Project Manager, Arbitrator and Adjudicator. He has vast experience in real estate valuation and management. He is the Chairperson of EWB- Rwanda, Honorary Treasurer at CIArb Rwanda Branch, Co-Founder and Director at GIACC- Rwanda, Owner and Manager of Golden Equity. He has served at different technical committees and Board of Directors at Institute of Real Property Valuers in Rwanda (IRPV) and Institution of Engineers Rwanda (IER). He is both French and English speaking.

Fiona Toliva MBA
Is a real estate finance scholar, practitioner, and emerging academic leader dedicated to advancing real estate research, education, and innovation across Africa.
She lectures Real Estate Finance at the Global Institute of Property Studies and actively works across property management, research, and housing finance innovation. Fiona is also the Founding Director of Haveli Realtors Limited, which focuses on connecting individuals to practical, accessible property ownership opportunities especially for first-time buyers through innovative financing approaches and market guidance.
A Board Member of the African Real Estate Society (AfRES) and Chairperson of its Future Leaders initiative, she is committed to building the next generation of real estate professionals across the continent. Her international research experience includes work at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada, and she has presented at leading conferences such as AfRES and ISAH University of Capetown Symposium. Fiona continues to bridge the gap between academia and real-world practice, championing solutions that make property ownership more attainable across Africa.

Ian Kananura Mwesigye is a Supervisor Tax Crime Investigations at the Uganda Revenue Authority. His research and professional interests focus on the analysis of virtual assets, construction, and real estate sectors, alongside exploring the application of artificial intelligence in enhancing tax administration. Ian holds an MSc in Property Studies from the University of Cape Town, a BSc in Quantity Surveying from Makerere University, and a BSc in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from ISBAT University.

Dr. John Mugisha is a valuer and urban planner specializing in sustainable urban development, land management, and real estate systems in rapidly urbanising contexts. His work focuses on land readjustment, housing affordability, and social-ecological resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD in Urban Planning and serves as Chairman of the African Real Estate Society (AfRES) East Africa Chapter, Chairperson of the Institute of Real Property Valuers in Rwanda, and Lecturer at the University of Rwanda. He combines academic research with professional practice in property valuation and real estate investment analysis.

Dr. Mwenda Makathimo is the Executive Director of Land Development and Governance Institute. He has wide experience in practice and research on issues relating to land and environment policy development, land management and administration, governance, assets and property valuation, real estate management and Agency, boundary delimitation and mapping.

He is a Registered and Licensed Valuer and Estate Agent, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Land Economics, a Master of Arts in Valuation and Property Management and a Doctorate in Environmental Policy from the University of Nairobi. He has also undertaken an executive training on Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development at the Columbia University.

He is a past Chairman of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya and was also a Commissioner of the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission.He has served as a member of the Nairobi City Valuation Court, an External Examiner at the University of Nairobi, School of the Built Environment, Technical University of Kenya Department of Real Estate and Construction Management and Senior Lecturer Mount Kenya University, School of Engineering, Energy &the Built Environment.

He has served as a member of the steering committee that drafted the Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2009 on Kenya’s National Land Policy; taskforce member in developing the National Land Commission Rules and Regulations under the National Land Commission Act 2012; Member of the project advisory Committee Digital Land Governance Program in Kenya.