Raffles Family Office (RFO), Asia’s leading multi-family office, has appointed Rwandan national Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, former Rwanda Minister of State for Infrastructure, as Principal for Emerging Markets and Business Development, where he will focus on strengthening the firm’s engagement across the Africa–Asia investment corridor.
Jean’s arrival reflects RFO’s long-term conviction in Africa — home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, and to a single market of some 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of around US$3.4 trillion under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Together, these shifts are expected to accelerate wealth creation and drive demand for more sophisticated investment, wealth structuring and succession solutions. To support RFO’s ambitions in this growing market, in this newly created role, Jean will be based in Hong Kong and report directly to Group CEO Chi Man Kwan.
Chi Man said:* “We are delighted to welcome Jean. Africa’s potential is greater than many yet recognise, and helping perception catch up with that potential takes people who understand both ends of the corridor. We look forward to what we can build together as our engagement with the region develops.”*
Jean brings more than fifteen years of experience spanning government, capital and cross-border business. Most recently, he served as Rwanda’s Minister of State for Infrastructure. Before that, he was Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Brunei, and Ambassador to Indonesia. During his tenure, the Inclusive FinTech Forum, now Africa’s largest global finance and technology event, was conceived and launched. He also served as Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors in Singapore, representing 54 African nations to the Asia-Pacific business community. Earlier in his career, Jean was a director at a leading construction company in Rwanda.
Jean said:* “Africa and Asia are increasingly writing the next chapter of global growth together, and patient family capital can be one of the most effective bridges between them. Joining RFO allows me to help African families access world-class wealth and legacy solutions, while creating genuine, well-structured pathways for Asian and global capital to access opportunities in Africa.”*
Jean is a Chartered Engineer with First Class degrees from Rwanda and the University of Manchester and an MBA from Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University.