Botswana Telecommunication Corporation Limited (BTCL) has confirmed the appointment of its new board of directors, chaired by legal practitioner Daphne Matlakala, who replaces Len Makwinja.
Other new appointees to the BTCL board are Gerald Nthebolan, an IT expert at Debswana, who will deputize Matlakala, as well as Professor Rejoice Tsheko, an academic.
Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) CEO Alan Boshwaen, BHC deputy CEO Serty Leburu and Jwaneng Mine Human Resources Manger Choice Pitso, who served under Makwinja in the previous BTCL board, will continue serving in the new board. The immediate past board members are BIH Director Marketing, Registration and ICT Dr Geoffrey Seleka as well as Leonard Makwinja.
Matlakala was appointed as BTCL board chair by Minister for Transport and Communications Nonofo Molefhi.
“Matlakala’s appointment by the Minister of Transport and Communications comes at a time when the company is in the final stages of listing in the Botswana Stock Exchange,” said BTCL in a statement.
Matlakala, a partner at Malebeswa Matlakala Legal Consultants was previously Deputy Attorney General and Secretary for Legislative Drafting. She is also a member of the Law Society of Botswana and Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel, she is a founding member of the Women’s Finance House and Women and Law in Southern Africa Research Project Botswana Trust. She holds a Master of Laws (legislative drafting) from Edinburgh University, Scotland, UK, Bachelor of Laws from University of New South Wales, Australia and Bachelor of Arts in Law from the University of Botswana and Swaziland.
Over the last three years, BTCL was led by Managing Director (MD) Paul Taylor, who drove the corporation towards considerable revenue and profit growth and re-positioned it for separation and privatisation. The corporation recently confirmed that Makwinja left the board chairmanship subsequent to a Bank of Botswana (BoB) directive which barred local banks from electing persons who serve in the board of parastatals into their boards.
“The board members’ experience and expertise is therefore crucial as BTCL embarks on the privatization journey,” BTCL stated.
Amongst other duties, the board is responsible for providing guidance, direction and support at policy and strategic levels as necessary for management to discharge its duties as stipulated in the BTCL Act.
