The Board of Directors of the newly established investment entity, the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), has announced the founding team of the executive management of the entity.
In an interview with Sunday Standard, BITC Chief Operations Officer (COO), Letsebe Sejoe, revealed his team of key positions that have been filled, which are the Executive Director of Export Development and Promotion, Bontle Phuthego, Executive Director Investment Promotion, Reitumetse Aphiri, Executive Director Strategy and Competitiveness, Keletsositse Olebile, Special Economic Zones (SEZ), Lonely Mogara, and as well as Executive Director Shared Services, Emeldah Phokoletso.
Sejoe revealed that BITC operates regional offices in three markets of India, United Kingdom (London) and South Africa and added that Directors have been appointed to oversee the operations of these offices.
“Preparations and space planning of the new premises is currently underway. BITC will soon relocate to the new premises to ensure that all its operations and services are conveniently provided to investors from a single location,” said Sejoe.
The management team includes Director, International Business Services, India, Trunklinah Gabonthone, also Binn Matengu, who is Director, International Business Services, UK and Omphitlhetse Bobo Senosi as Director, International Business Services, South Africa
Sejoe added that the team commenced work on 1st November 2012, saying that they are currently working on all initial work streams that are required to operationalise BITC, including setting the new focused direction that BITC will now take to effectively deliver on its mandate as the national IPA.
“The Executive Director’s focus is also to now implement the BITC interim Strategy that was approved by the Board,” said Sejoe.
BITC posts became vacant after the merger of two parastatals, the Botswana International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA), which were restructured beginning of April this year, offered as one entity. According to the BITC officials, having the two organizations under one roof and operating as a single merged entity will definitely result in reduction of public expenditure and improvement of cost efficiencies as operation funds disbursed by government will be for use by a single entity as opposed to two entities.
Recently, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, appointed Victor Senye as the board chairperson.
Senye is the former BIFM CEO where he steered the company to a remarkable growth in assets under management and diversified the portfolio and he is also an expert in investments. He will be assisted by Ethel Matenge-Sebesho.
Among other board members are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Banny Molosiwa, Terence Dambe, a lawyer based at Minchin & Kelly Attorneys, as well as Esther Kanaimba-Senai, who is the Debswana Group head of public corporate affairs.
Wilhemina Makwinja, who is a seasoned human resources practitioner, is also part of the board, along with Ellen Richard Madisa, a finance expert and Christopher Garland who is experienced in the areas of international financial planning and foreign direct investment, are also part of the team.
Makgatho-Malesu has remained tight lipped as to who would replace former IFSC acting CEO, Letsebe Sejoe, and BEDIA CEO, Lamarck Nthekela, as BITC substantive CEO.
