Mokena Makeka is an internationally recognized architect, strategist, and thought leader at the intersection of Planet-smart urbanism, design, and civic engagement. Born to diplomat parents and raised between the United States and Lesotho, he embodies a global perspective rooted in African identity. He earned national distinction in architecture at the University of Cape Town, later advancing his leadership training at Harvard, Oxford, and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University).

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Mokena has founded and led multiple ventures, including the award-winning Makeka DesignLab, the Afrocentric consultancy Axum, and FLOW (Future of Living for One World), a climate institute advancing bioeconomy innovation, public-private partnerships, and inclusive growth. His work has influenced global policy and practice through collaborations with the Rockefeller Foundation, FAO, and the World Economic Forum, to name a few.

He is a former President of the South African Institute of Architects, Aspen Global Leadership Fellow, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. CNN has profiled his projects and ideas, showcased at the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial, London Design Festival and honored by the Museum of Art and Design, and others. He served as the Director of the Civic Projects Lab at The Cooper Union, and advocated for the role of higher level education as a catalyst for transdisciplinary civic agency, “beyond the classroom.”