Rendeavour, Africa’s leading urban developer, has announced a series of key appointments to its Board of Directors, as part of a strategic move to enhance its leadership team and support the company’s expansion across the continent. David Kippen, a seasoned private equity and infrastructure investor, has been appointed as Chairman of the Board, taking over from Frank Mosier, the company’s Founding Chairman. Mosier, who has served in the role for over eight years, will remain on the Board as a director and continue to be one of Rendeavour’s largest shareholders.
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, who continues as Deputy Chairman, will now work alongside Kippen as the company looks to further solidify its footprint across Africa. In addition to the leadership changes, Graeme Wheeler, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and Darrell M. Blocker, a former senior CIA officer, have joined the Board as Independent Directors.
Rendeavour’s founder and CEO, Stephen Jennings, welcomed the new appointments, emphasizing the addition of individuals with vast experience in global finance, economic development, and security. “We are pleased to strengthen our board with versatile emerging markets experts. In David, we have a long-serving director; in Graeme, we have a globally renowned economist, central banker, and policy maker; and in Darrell, we have one of the most respected intelligence officers to have served in Africa,” Jennings stated.
The new appointments come as part of Rendeavour’s commitment to building sustainable, world-class cities across the African continent. The company is the owner and developer of several high-profile projects, including Tatu City, Kenya’s first operational Special Economic Zone (SEZ); Alaro City, a partnership with the Lagos State Government in Nigeria’s Lekki Free Zone; Jigna in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital; and Kiswishi SEZ, the first private SEZ in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rendeavour is also developing Appolonia City and King City in Ghana.
David Kippen, the newly appointed Chairman, brings extensive expertise in private equity, infrastructure investment, and mergers and acquisitions. Over the past three decades, Kippen has completed more than 45 mergers and acquisitions and has worked on both private and public debt and equity financings in emerging markets. Kippen has held senior roles at major financial institutions, including Credit Suisse First Boston, JPMorgan Chase, and UBS, and has experience in sectors ranging from energy to technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University and a Masters of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
Graeme Wheeler, one of the newly appointed Independent Directors, is a distinguished economist with a long career in central banking and economic policy. He served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand from 2012 to 2017 and held senior positions at the World Bank, where he was Managing Director of Operations from 2006 to 2010. Wheeler has also contributed to New Zealand’s economic policy, having served as Treasurer of the New Zealand Debt Management Office and Deputy Secretary to the New Zealand Treasury. He was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for his services to economic policy and banking.
Darrell M. Blocker, also appointed as an Independent Director, brings a wealth of expertise in international security and intelligence. Blocker retired from a distinguished 32-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community, where he earned the CIA’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal in 2018. He held key positions, including Chief of the Africa Division and Deputy Director of the Counterterrorist Center, and is recognized as one of the most senior black officers in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. Blocker currently runs his own consulting firm, DMB Consulting Services, and serves as a strategic advisor in national security, defense, and international affairs. He is also an on-air contributor for ABC News.
The company also thanked Frank Mosier for his leadership during his tenure as Chairman. “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Frank Mosier for his eight years as chairman and his ongoing support for Rendeavour as the company’s principal American shareholder,” Jennings commented.
Rendeavour’s other board members include Yomi Ademola, Simon Edwards, and Robert Reid, who all continue their roles in helping guide the company as it focuses on transforming Africa’s urban landscape with innovative, sustainable development projects.
This strategic strengthening of Rendeavour’s Board of Directors signals the company’s continued commitment to growing its presence in Africa, leveraging world-class leadership with deep expertise across multiple sectors.