Botswana Premier League (BPL) board has agreed to appoint Thabo Ntshinogang as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following a recruitment process that attracted interest from aspiring locals and foreigners.
Ntshinogang has been in charge of the office as the acting CEO since the suspension and ultimate sacking of Bennett Mamelodi last year.
The CEO position expected to be filled in two weeks was advertised two months ago through a recruitment agency, People Connections.
The appointment will be announced after the BPL board and Botswana Football Association (BFA) National Executive Committee (NEC) have discussed the recommendation. ‘’The BPL board is pleased with how Ntshinogang handled the league last season, they have confidence in him and have recommended him for permanent placement,” revealed a source.
After three consecutive gloomy seasons in local football, Ntshinogang’s first season as acting CEO provided light at the end of the tunnel. Despite late completion of the Premiership sponsorship deal this season, BPL board is reported to be pleased with how Ntshinogang negotiated the next three year agreement between the BPL and Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL). It is understood that Ntshinogang won the board over after successfully negotiating better grants for clubs over the next three years.
BPL Chairman, Rapula Okaile, however downplayed the matter saying the BPL board is yet to recommend on the matter. He said the process took longer than expected but they hope the vacant post will be filled shortly. ‘’We are still working on the matter and will soon be finalised. This was a long process as we had engaged an independent agency to sort the recruitment process before reaching the BPL board,” Okaile told Sunday Standard.
‘’We had thought by now the CEO post would be filled permanently before the start of the season but the process took longer than expected. It is difficult to tell when we will finish but our team is working hard to put the matter to rest. The procedure here was for the agency to deal with applicants and recommend to the BPL board then the BPL board assess and recommend to the BFA before finalising the appointment,” said Okaile.
