Former Minister of State for Infrastructure, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, has joined Raffles Family Office (RFO), an asset and wealth management firm with headquarters in Hong Kong and Singapore. The former ambassador to Singapore will serve at the company's Principal for Emerging Markets and Business Development, with a focus on strengthening investment links between Africa and Asia. ALSO READ: Could Africa become the next destination for family offices? Uwihanganye will be based in Hong Kong and report directly to RFO Group Chief Executive Officer. The appointment, announced on Tuesday, September 8, comes as the multi-family office seeks to expand its engagement in Africa, a continent the firm considers an increasingly important source of investment and wealth-creation opportunities. ALSO READ: Africa is positioned to become a wealth management hub- CEO, Raffles Family Office Kwan Chi-man RFO said Uwihanganye will focus on the Africa-Asia investment corridor, helping the firm engage with African families and investors while identifying opportunities for Asian and global capital in African markets. “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,” Uwihanganye said. He added that Africa and Asia are increasingly becoming important partners in global growth, with family capital having a role to play in connecting the two regions. An engineer by training, Uwihanganye brings more than 15 years of experience in government, diplomacy, and business management. He served as Minister of State for Infrastructure from July 2025 to June this year. He had held the position of Minister of State in charge of Transport from August 2017 to July 2019, before he was appointed as Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. During his diplomatic duty, he was involved in the conception and launch of the Inclusive FinTech Forum, which is one of Africa’s largest global finance and technology event. He also served as Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors in Singapore, representing 54 African countries in engagements with the Asia-Pacific business community. Earlier in his career, Uwihanganye worked as director of business development and planning at the engineering and construction company NPD Ltd. Uwihanganye holds an MBA from Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a master's degree in management of construction projects, obtained from the University of Manchester. RFO said his appointment reflects its long-term interest in Africa, whose population is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050. The firm also pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which brings together a market of about 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of around $3.4 trillion. According to RFO, demographic growth and the expansion of the continental market are expected to drive wealth creation and increase demand for investment management, wealth structuring and succession solutions. RFO Group CEO Chi-man Kwan said Uwihanganye’s experience across both Africa and Asia would help the firm deepen its engagement with the continent. “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,” he said.
