Shelter Afrique, a Nairobi-based pan-African housing development financier, has appointed Thierno-Habib Hann as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Mr. Andrew Chimphondah, who left the company earlier this year.
Mr. Hann is currently the Asia/Pacific Lead for Housing Finance at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), located in Bangkok, where he oversees the creation and execution of the housing finance program, which has a portfolio of more than USD 2 billion.
He previously held a similar role in Nairobi, in charge of Africa and the Middle East.
Commenting on the appointment, Shelter Afrique Chairman Mr. Ephraim Bichetero said the selection process was very competitive, based on merit and competence.
“Mr. Hann has extensive international experience in housing finance, capital markets, and structured finance, set-up, and management of investment funds with banking and multilateral institutions, spanning over 20 years. He brings with him a wealth of leadership experience in development and investment, sharp insight in the real estate landscape, and a strong track record of delivery. Over the years, he has developed housing finance transactions in the US, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, valued over USD 32 billion,” Mr. Bichetero said.
“He is expected to strengthen governance, be an embodiment of our values and drive the investment strategy of the Company focused on delivering large-scale affordable housing,” He added.
Welcoming his appointment, Mr. Hann said he was excited at the opportunity to lead Shelter Afrique through its next face of growth.
“I’m happy and honored to take on the new role at Shelter Afrique, particularly as many African countries face significant turning points in their housing agenda. It is an honor to lead this team at this critical moment and together we will work towards harnessing national resources to improve local populations’ living conditions and to achieve Shelter Afrique’s mandate,” Mr. Hann said.
Hann began his career at the consulting firm Arthur Andersen, LLC as a Senior Consultant in Financial Services and Capital Markets in New York City.
He has worked at JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs as Manager and Vice President respectively and led investment teams issuing mortgage-backed securities (RMBS/CMO), and credit derivatives (CDS) in these organizations.
He also served at the World Bank Group as the Private Sector Development Program Manager in Guinea, responsible for designing and implementing the business climate improvement program, while developing a bankable pipeline of investments and government advisory projects in strategic sectors of the economy.
Habib holds an MBA in Finance & Investments from the Zicklin School of Business, Bernard Baruch, New York City; a master’s degree in Accounting and Finance (M.S.T.C.F), and a bachelor’s degree in Management and Applied Economics (GEA), from Paris IX Dauphine University, with honors.
A native of Guinea (Conakry), Hann is the co-founder of “AngelAfrica” – a pan-African investment platform formed to achieve economic prosperity on the continent by building and fostering innovative technological ideas, investors, and business mentors.
Mr. Hann will join the organization at the end of his current contract with IFC. In the interim, Mr. Muwowo will continue to serve as Acting Managing Director.
