Koome Martin Gikunda, Aiglon class of '99
A Ford Foundation Scholar, Koome Gikunda graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. He also has an MBA with Distinction from Oxford University, where he was awarded a Wafic Said Scholarship. He is an alumnus of Starehe Boys Center and School in Kenya and, of course, Aiglon.
Today, Koome is an emerging markets private equity investor with a particular passion for and focus on Africa’s renaissance. As a director at Actis—a leading emerging markets private equity fund—he manages the firm's East African real estate portfolio, including Garden City, one of the largest real estate developments on the continent. He also sits on the Board of the East Africa Venture Capital Association. Prior to joining Actis, Koome was an investment banker with JP Morgan in New York, advising corporate and government clients in the U.S. and emerging markets.
Koome is a strong believer in the power of education and social entrepreneurship to transform lives. To that end, he is a cofounder of Impact Capital Advisors, a venture that supports social entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses in Africa. He also sits on the board of Tiny Toto’s, a social venture that provides affordable daycare services to the children of working, low-income mothers in Nairobi. He lives in the Kenyan capital with his wife Emma and three daughters, Amani, Liya and Naila.