Mr. Yankho Chitsime has 14 years’ experience in executive management and deals making in the affordable housing space, including principal investing, property development, project finance advisory work, debt capital raising, and financial management in South Africa and numerous countries across the African continent. Yankho holds a BBA in Accounting (Andrews University, Michigan, USA), Postgraduate training in Property Development (UCT, RSA) and Management Development (GIBS, RSA).
With over 18 years of experience in the banking and investment industry, Edmond is a seasoned professional with a strong track record in structuring and financing integrated large-scale projects. He worked in commercial banking for Ecobank and at Shelter-Afrique, a Development Financial Institution, where He held various levels of responsibility including Regional Business Manager for North, West, and Central Africa.
He holds an MBA in Banking and Finance from the African Centre of Higher Education in Management (CESAG – Dakar Senegal) and an Engineer Degree in Statistics and Demography from the High School of Applied Economy (ESEA – Ex ENEA. Dakar Senegal). His expertise includes bank financing, financial services, and market finance, as well as the structuring and financing of residential and commercial real estate programs.
In addition to his work experience, he served on the Board of Directors of the Regional Mortgage Refinancing Fund of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (CRRH-UEMOA) and was previously a member of the Credit Committee of Ecobank Benin. He also served as Head of Department Public Sector & Local Corporates at Ecobank Benin and Head of Division Studies/Research – Informal Sector & Employment at INSAE Benin (Ministry of Development). Edmond is Fluent in both French and English.
An accomplished Banker, Investment and Finance Specialist, Zachary leads the development and execution of Shelter Afrique’s strategy for Financial Institutions Group (FIG) across Africa. He also provides Regional Business leadership across all products in Eastern Africa.
Zachary holds a First Class Honors Degree in Economics (Moi University, Kenya) and a Masters Degree in Economics (University of Botswana). He also holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Project Planning, Appraisal and Financing from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Business Administration (Finance Option) with research interest on how capital markets can be harnessed to provide sustainable housing and infrastructure financing solutions in Africa.
With over 20 years’ banking experience spanning across commercial banking and international development finance institutions, Zachary has led successful investments (equity and debt) in many financial institutions and housing infrastructure projects across multiple markets in Africa. Prior to his current role, Zachary served as the Regional Business Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa Regions and before that, he was Shelter Afrique’s Regional Representative and Regional Business Manager for Anglophone West Africa, based in Abuja – Nigeria.
Sandie Paho Handou, from Cameroon, is a seasoned Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs executive with over 20 years of international experience across Africa and Europe, spanning regulated industries, multinationals and complex multi-country operations.
She joins Shelter Afrique with a strong track record in corporate governance, regulatory strategy, compliance transformation and stakeholder engagement. Prior to this role, she served as Regional Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs Director for West Africa, overseeing legal strategy across Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Benin, while acting as Company Secretary and Board advisor.
Sandie has held senior leadership positions with leading global organisations including LafargeHolcim (CIMENCAM), British American Tobacco, Diageo, and Procter & Gamble, where she advised executive committees and boards on risk management, government relations, ethics and sustainable business growth. She is recognised as an inspirational people leader with strong commercial acumen and a reputation for integrity.
She holds a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law from Northumbria University (UK), another Master’s degree from Rouen University in France and executive education certificates from INSEAD and Lagos Business School. Sandie is bilingual in French and English and is deeply committed to governance excellence, responsible leadership and Africa’s long-term development.
Bernard is a Kenyan national. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration majoring in strategic management from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor Degree in Business Information Technology from Strathmore University. He has over twelve years of work experience in enterprise risk management.
He previously worked for Deloitte & Touche in the Risk Advisory practice for nine years from 2007 to 2016 before joining the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, a top tier one bank, as a Senior Risk Manager, where he worked for three years before joining Shelter Afrique. His key achievements include many years of developing and implementing enterprise risk management programmes.
