Management Team

Our team consists of experts in various fields including engineering, economics and finance. We bring together diverse perspectives and skills to tackle complex problems and develop creative solutions. 

 Professor Ojede is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Lithicon R & D Labs. In his role, he overseas the general operations of the company by setting short, medium, and long-term goals, and planning and ensuring that the company's deliverables are accomplished. He is also responsible for engaging with the company's partners around the globe for collaboration and partnerships on business initiatives  and new product lines.

 With over 14 years of experience as a university professor and as an international scholar, studying sources of growth-financing for developing countries, in general, and African countries in particular, Dr. Ojede has significant experience and knowledge about the economies of developing regions. His research has been published in highly reputable regional, national, and international economic journals. 

Having earned his doctoral degree in economics from Kansas State University in the United States, Professor Ojede  has tremendous knowledge about the U.S. economy. Part of his research, looking at the relationship between fiscal policy and state economic growth has been widely cited by prestigious institutions like the Centers for Budget Priorities, State Legislative Assemblies, etc.   

Professor Ojede also consults with international organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations, and Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations in the United States. He was recently appointed to provide an expert opinion report in an ongoing arbitration case between a company and a government at the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration. 

Gilbert Malinga is a passionate entrepreneur with over 15 years experience managing projects in industry and academia. As a special adviser to senior leaders in business and Government, Gilbert has been instrumental in providing advisory support on various projects in energy, manufacturing and infrastructure development in the U.S and Africa.

Currently, Gilbert serves as a Technical Adviser to Lithicon R&D Labs, helping with business strategy and advising on strategic partnerships. In addition to shaping the company’s strategic agenda and managing the firm’s technology roadmap, Gilbert is also responsible for setting long-term strategy and assists with planning for emerging technology areas in materials and clean energy technologies, with particular emphasis on developing new materials, novel processing technologies and energy storage systems.

Professor Mbakisya Onyango (Mbaki Onyango) serves as a Technical Adviser to Lithicon R&D Labs. As an African, Professor Onyango looks at the bigger picture of giving back to the African continent and to assist on capacity building programs which help young people to gain critical work skills and make them competitive in the national and global economies which are fast-evolving. 

Professor Onyango is the U.C. Foundation Professor in the Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). She is a Kansas State University graduate with a Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering, a M.Sc. in International Highway Engineering from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (with honors) from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. 

Professor Onyango is an engineering educator, researcher, and consultant. At UTC, she teaches Civil Engineering undergraduate and graduate classes and conducts research in transportation, construction materials, and STEM education areas. Since joining UTC in 2010, she has attracted large research funding as principal and co-principal investigator, including funding from the Center of Excellence in Applied Computational Science and Engineering (CEACSE), Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and National Science Foundation (NSF). Collectively with her collaborators, she has over 40 journal publications and conference proceedings. She has advised over 100 undergraduate and graduate students. Professor Onyango is a Civil Engineering Program Coordinator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).