Kenneth Sharpe: The Visionary Building a Nation, One Brick at a Time
Kenneth Raydon Sharpe, is a Zimbabwean businessman, philanthropist and real estate entrepreneur. He is the chief executive officer of WestProp Holdings. He is also the first Zimbabwean to receive Forbes Africa Best of Africa Most Innovative CEO Award. He is an entrepreneur whose ambition is not measured in balance sheets, but in the skyline of a nation reborn. With a rallying cry of “Bring Dubai to Zimbabwe” and a tangible, audacious goal of laying one billion bricks by 2050, Sharpe is not just constructing buildings; he is architecting a new future for his country. His work is a masterclass in resilience, purpose-driven leadership, and the profound power of legacy. For his transformative impact on Zimbabwe’s urban landscape and his unwavering belief in its future, The Influential Today Magazine is proud to honor Kenneth Sharpe as The Most Influential Entrepreneur in the Real Estate Industry for 2026.
The Seeds of an Entrepreneurial Spirit
Sharpe’s story is not one of sudden success, but of a lifetime of innate entrepreneurial drive. His business acumen was apparent even in his high school days, where he demonstrated a keen eye for supply and demand. “My entrepreneurial spirit started from my high school days,” he recalls. “I wanted to sell things people needed… my father’s mine workers… would buy vegetables from my tuck shop that I had grown in the rather large garden… with free seeds, water and labour… So, my profit margin, as you can imagine, was very high (lol).”
This early venture, built on spotting an opportunity and maximizing resources, was a sign of things to come. In his late teens, he moved into formal business, selling imported sweets and FMCG from South Africa. His early 20s saw him diversify into agriculture, manufacturing, and distribution, where he became a market pioneer. “We were the first to produce plastic PET bottles in the market,” he notes. But while these ventures were successful, his true calling was waiting to be discovered.
The Promise That Launched an Empire
Sometimes, the greatest empires are built on the most personal foundations. For Sharpe, the pivot to real estate began not in a boardroom, but with a “half-joking commitment” to his girlfriend, Joanna, who would later become his wife. “Around 1992, I discovered my love for it… to buy five properties in five years,” he shares. “She asked me why I thought we needed five properties to which I responded: “One to live in, one to go on holiday to and three to rent out so that when we get older, I do not have to trust others with my pension and retirement”.
What began as a personal goal—one that ultimately took him eight years to achieve—ignited a lifelong passion. He continued acquiring properties every year until 2008, when he made a pivotal, life-altering decision. He founded WestProp and consolidated all his assets, choosing to focus “solely on property.” This singular focus allowed his vision to evolve. He realized he could do more than just provide housing; he could shape entire communities. “I did not want to just erect buildings, I wanted to shape lifestyles,” he states. Inspired by his travels, the vision to “Bring Dubai to Zimbabwe” was born, focusing on quality, mixed-use, safe gated communities.
From Diversification to Lasting Legacy
Why walk away from a diversified portfolio of over 100 companies to focus on one sector? For Sharpe, the answer is legacy. “After having diversified and being involved in over 100 companies for two decades, I finally realized that real estate would offer me the greatest lasting impact to leave a legacy,” he explains.
This desire for a tangible impact is deeply embedded in his DNA. He speaks of his forefathers, including his great-great-grandfather, Sir Joseph Swan, “regarded as the inventor of the century in the United Kingdom who invented the first light bulb (and yes, this was before Thomas Edison…).” While his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were adventurers and miners, Sharpe saw his own legacy on the earth, but in a different way. “I have always wanted to leave a legacy like my great-grandfather who left the lighting bulb,” he says. “I am leaving tangible communities that will survive the test of time.” Furthermore, focusing on real estate meant that all the wealth and value created would remain in Zimbabwe, contributing directly to its economy.
The Billion Brick Vision
This ambition is crystallized in a goal that is as audacious as it is inspiring: the “Billion Brick” vision. This is the north star for WestProp. “Every day, we wake up living and breathing the ‘Billion Brick’ vision,” Sharpe says. It is both a literal and metaphorical mission. Literally, it represents building over US$5 billion worth of infrastructure by 2050. Metaphorically, “it is also a metaphor for nation-building and believing in the hope of a better future for Zimbabwe.”
This is not a distant dream; it is a daily reality. “We have a digital brick counter displaying the number of bricks at each site and today I’m proud to say that we are almost at 90 million bricks,” he notes. This vision has resonated so powerfully that it has “become a national one,” creating a loyal following of customers and citizens who believe in building a better Zimbabwe with him.
Building Ecosystems, Not Just Houses
At the heart of WestProp’s strategy is the “Live, Work, Shop and Play” model. Sharpe is not just building residential complexes; he is creating holistic, self-contained “lifestyle ecosystems.” Projects like Millennium Heights, Pokugara, and Pomona City are testaments to this, integrating homes with retail, amenities, and crucial green spaces.
His commitment to sustainability is profound. “Sustainability is not a checkbox; it is our foundation,” he insists. He backs this claim with staggering numbers. “In Pomona City we intend to create parks, waterways and green spaces of up to 50% of the development, and in The Hills Luxury Golf Estate a record-breaking 82% (on the continent and perhaps in the world) will be green and open spaces.” This is a developer who understands that quality of life is inextricably linked to the environment.
A Purpose Forged in Fire
Sharpe’s unwavering drive is powered by a deep, personal understanding of purpose. A near-death experience became the ultimate “turning point” in his life. “I realised life is fragile and purpose is everything,” he reflects. “I became more intentional focusing on legacy, impact, and faith. Business became less about profit and more about people, purpose, and posterity.”
This profound shift explains his relentless focus and his leadership philosophy. He’s moved, as he says, “from searching for success to finding significance.” This transformation is anchored in his faith. “I am a Christian and first to acknowledge the hand of God,” he states, attributing every milestone and impacted life to divine favor. This spiritual grounding informs his belief that “God’s gift is our lives and what we do with it is our gift to Him.”
The “Chief Energizing Officer”
Inside WestProp, Sharpe is known by a title he has gracefully embraced: “Chief Energizing Officer.” He sees his role as that of a “visionary and culture carrier,” focused on strategy, partnerships, and embedding the core values of hard work, perseverance, excellence, integrity, and innovation into the company’s DNA. He is an approachable leader who mentors his team and believes deeply that “leadership is communal and a shared responsibility,” even implementing a self-management culture.
This team-centric approach, combined with his long-term vision, has been his anchor while navigating Zimbabwe’s notoriously volatile economic environment. He cites currency shifts, inflation, and policy changes as immense challenges. The solution? “Staying agile, building trust with stakeholders, and maintaining a long-term vision… Faith, resilience, and a strong team made the difference,” he says. “What helps me to persevere is staying focused on the future of 2050 and not being distracted by the short-term difficulties.”
A Historic Milestone for the People
In a landmark move, in May 2023, WestProp recently listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX), becoming the first real estate company to do so and remaining the largest listed real estate entity on the Exchange. For Sharpe, this was more than a corporate milestone. “It validated our governance, transparency, and growth model,” he says. “More importantly, it gave ordinary Zimbabweans a chance to own a piece of the exciting future we are building.” It was also a strategic move to preserve the company’s legacy for multi-generational ownership.
The True Measure of Success
When asked how he measures success, Kenneth Sharpe’s answer has nothing to do with profit. His bottom line is impact. “For us success is when a family moves into a safe, lifestyle space. It is when a child plays in a park we built. It is when our team grows in purpose and skill. Impact, not just income, is our true bottom line.”
This purpose-driven mindset is what he hopes to pass on to the next generation. His advice to young African entrepreneurs is a perfect summary of his own life’s work: “Start with purpose, not profit. Solve real problems. Be ethical, be bold, and never stop learning. Africa needs builders—of businesses, of communities, of hope. Be that builder… whatever goods or services you provide make sure they meet a real need!”
Through curiosity, grit, faith, and the discipline to build one brick at a time, Kenneth Sharpe is not just meeting a need; he is building a legacy that will shelter and inspire generations to come.
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