14th Brunel International Lecture: Africa

Vera Bukachi

An experienced leader, action researcher and project manager in international development, and an advocate for social justice in the urban built environment, especially for underserved communities in Africa. Her main expertise is in impact research, development advisory consulting, non-profit leadership, teaching and advocacy on urban development issues in the global south.

Keith Howells

Keith Howells is the 158th President of the ICE.

Having graduated in civil engineering in 1974, Keith joined one of the founder members of the Mott MacDonald Group and spent the first 10 years of his career in infrastructure design and project management, mostly in the water and transport sectors. On completing an MBA in 1986, he became involved with the planning, feasibility, and financial and economic analysis of projects, principally in the water and environmental sectors. Over the next decade he worked on numerous projects funded by the international finance institutions as well as by UK government bodies.

Keith has built career long experience in the planning, study and design of hydraulic structures, hydropower, urban drainage, sewerage, water supply and river engineering schemes. He has worked in numerous countries as well as in the UK. He ran the firm’s Water and Environment business from 1997 to 2002, before becoming the Group Managing Director in 2004, directing the firm’s expansion in North America and Australasia. Keith became Chair of the Group’s Executive Board in 2011, responsible to shareholders for the performance of the company and its strategic direction – a role he continued until mid-2019.

Keith was on the board of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering from 2011 to 2015, and its Chair in 2013; he was a member of the CBI’s Construction Council from 2013 to 2019; and a member of the Cranfield School of Management Advisory Board from 2012 to 2020.  He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Yolanda Chakava

Yolanda is a development professional, with over 20 years’ experience in delivering infrastructure, urban and research programmes (10 years focused on East Africa).

As a UK Chartered Civil Engineer with a PhD (Cranfield University) in urban water supply, Yolanda has a unique blend of practical engineering and academic experience in private and public sector environments, with a strong delivery track-record. Yolanda currently leads FCDO Somalia’s infrastructure and urban portfolio.

As an active Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Yolanda promotes Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in schools, encouraging more young girls in into engineering. Yolanda is passionate about diversity and inclusion and is a published children’s’ book author.

Martin Manuhwa

Martin Manuhwa is an electrical and energy consultant engineer and is currently the Managing Director of Zimbabwe Africa Infrastructure Development Group (ZAIDG) a company that specializes in Engineering Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM). His engineering practice is in energy, construction projects, work-site project implementation and management.

Martin teaches part time Engineering graduate students at the Zimbabwe National Defense University and has taught MBAs and MBLs at the University of Zimbabwe and Bindura University of Science Education respectively.

His research interest is in the use of Management Information Systems in construction and project management, and he is currently a Doctoral Associate at the University of Cape Town where he is researching on the link of ICTs in the Industrial 4.0 Revolution and Productivity in Engineering Projects.

He sits in the advisory Council of the London based Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC). Martin has previously worked for ZESA and Lon-Rho in various capacities in his engineering career. He is the Past President of the Southern African Federation of Engineering Organisations (SAFEO), and also the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE). He is the immediate past President of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations.

Mike Theobald

Mike has over 30 years’ experience in the Power, Energy, Industrial and Infrastructure sectors.

Mike joined WSP in 2021 to lead the firm’s Energy Transition sector, which incorporates Net Zero, Low Carbon Generation and Carbon Capture, Renewables and Conventional Generation.

Mike provides leadership across the above sectors with responsibility for strategic planning, growth and integrated team delivery, and is also member of WSP’s UK and Global Energy Leadership team. Mike also frequently engages with the UK Government, contributing to the Net Zero APPG as well as consulting with MPs on a range of energy related matters.

During his career Mike has developed experience across merger & acquisition, turnaround, advisory, operations, partnering and end to end project delivery.