We would like to acknowledge the experts who have played a pivotal role in shaping our IFMA Global Africa program.
Caroline Mulindi-Otieno
Caroline is a CFM-Certified Facilities and Operations management professional with over 12 years of experience in developing and executing strategic FM solutions.
As a Cluster lead for East and Southern Africa at Standard Chartered Bank (JLL ), she specializes in Strategic workplace services and has a proven record in operational process improvement and service excellence.
Known for her collaborative leadership and focus on efficiency, caroline brings a results-driven approach to managing complex facilities portfolios. Outside of work she is a dedicated wife and mother of four, an avid cook and a passionate traveller.
Herve Mizero
Mr. Herve Mizero, Facility Manager at TTEC Rwanda and Chairman of the IFMA Rwanda chapter, boasts over a decade of experience in property and facility management.
He previously served as the Head of Operations at Knight Frank, where he oversaw residential, commercial, and industrial portfolios in both Rwanda and the United Kingdom. Currently, he leads IFMA Rwanda, driving strategic growth within the facility management industry.
Isaac Owusu Adjakwah
Mr. Isaac Owusu Adjakwah is a Facility Management Professional (FMP) with over 19 years of experience in Facility and Healthcare Technology Management in the Aviation and Healthcare sectors. He specializes in devising, developing, and managing facilities, healthcare technology (HTM), and project management solutions. Since 2007, he has led the management of aviation and healthcare technology, support services, and human capital management.
Mr. Adjakwah holds an MBA in Engineering Management from Coventry University, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Engineering from Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Germany. He also has a Diploma in Project Management and Design from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK, and an HND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Takoradi Technical University. He is the Board Chairman of the Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and Director for Partnerships at the African Facilities Management Association (AFM).
Kathy Michell
Professor Kathy Michell holds a Doctorate in facilities management from the University of Salford, an MPhil in cost engineering and BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from UCT.
She is the Director of the Sustainability oriented+Cyber Research Unit for the Built Environment at UCT. Kathy serves on the Editorial Board and is the Regional Editor (Africa) for the Journal of Facilities Management, the Editorial Board for the African Journal of Real Estate Research and the Editorial Board for the Journal of Real Estate Literature. She is a past Head of the Department of Construction Economics and Management and Deputy Dean for Undergraduate Studies (Teaching & Learning) in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.
She currently serves as an elected member of the Board of the CIB International Council for Building and Construction Research and is a member of the International Facilities Management Association Research Advisory Committee.
She is a founding Director of the Africa Facilities Management Association and a Past-President of the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession. In addition, she has served a four-year term on the Council for the Built Environment in South Africa and as the Africa Market Seat holder on the Governing Council of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Lara Paemen
Lara brings a wealth of expertise and leadership as the Managing Director of IFMA (International Facility Management Association) EMEA, serving as a vital bridge between IFMA's headquarters in Houston, Texas, and its diverse network of chapters, partners, and stakeholders across the region. In her role, Lara oversees the strategic direction and operational management of IFMA EMEA, ensuring alignment with global objectives while tailoring initiatives to regional needs.
Prior to her tenure at IFMA, Lara amassed 17 years of distinguished experience as a Strategic Workplace Consultant and Change Manager. Her career spanned impactful projects across Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, and the UK, where she demonstrated a keen understanding of workplace dynamics and organizational transformation. Lara's strategic insights and hands-on approach have consistently delivered innovative solutions that enhance workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction.
As a member of the IFMA EMEA Board, Lara continues to drive excellence in facility management practices, leveraging her extensive background to foster collaboration and advancement within the industry across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Matthew Tucker
Matt has been carrying out workplace research for the past 20 years, working on the cusp of academia and industry.
Matt is the Director of Research for the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and Professor of Workplace and Facility Management at Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.
As a Fulbright Scholar with over 80 publications and 2,500 citations from seminal industry reports, peer-reviewed scientific journals, book chapters, and conference papers, Matt has helped transform the workplace and facility management industry.
Matt is a regular keynote speaker and thrives on being in front of an audience, speaking at leading international conferences or advising organizations on new ways of working.
Matt's company, Connective Thought, is a culmination of experiences and expertise he has acquired during his career, enabling organizations to capture workplace research and insights.
Michael Mafa
Mr. Mafa is a renowed speaker, with over 30 years of experience in facilities management, participates in an average of five FM or related international conferences annually both locally and internationally. Holding an MSc in Engineering Management with immense passion to promoting sustainability practices within FM.
His commitment to professional excellence is evident through his active engagement in leading FM associations like IFMA, IWFM, and SAFMA. He serves as a board member of the IFMA Sustainability Community (ISC) and member of the Eric Teicholz Scholarship Evaluation Committee. His contributions extend further as he participates in expert panels for these organizations, aiding in continual advancement of FM standards and practices. Michael also serves in the Deep Decarbonization Pathways technical working group – a three country initiative to come up with a framework for Africa.
Additionally, his influential role in Botswana FM Standards Reviewing Committee plays a crucial part in advancing the industry's growth and development. Entities he has worked for include United Nations, CDC, American Embassy - VOA, Anglia Ruskin University - UK and Bank of Botswana amongst others.
Rachael Daisy Mirembe
Lecturer(Real Estate) at Makerere University Business School
