Business Botswana has said that it recognises its Chief Executive Officer, Maria Machailo-Ellis’s career move as a positive one as she will continue to drive the cause of the private sector in Botswana and in the region.
Machailo-Ellis is set to join the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in the Bureau of Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP) effective January 2016. She joined Business Botswana (then BOCCIM) in January 2007 as its Executive Director and has seen the organisation through major milestones such as organisational restructuring, the Private Sector Development Strategy and the Private Sector Development Program (PSDP) as well as many major policy regulatory reforms to improve Botswana’s business environment
Business Botswana President, Leta Mosienyane said Thursday that Business Botswana and indeed Botswana as a country are very proud to have a Motswana appointed to such an important organ of the United Nations.
“We are proud to be associated with this achievement through our very own especially that this was a very competitive selection,” Mosienyane said, adding, “We are already in the process of identifying and recruiting her successor and all our stakeholders will be informed accordingly.” Still on Thursday, a Business Botswana council member who preferred anonymity revealed that the council had been at the forefront in assisting and supporting Machailo-Ellis to make a move.
The source further stated that is was also good for Business Botswana to have groomed her. Machailo-Ellis will be in charge of the Employers Activities in 10 (ten) countries in Southern Africa amongst them Botswana, South Africa and Rwanda and she will be residing in South Africa.
“She is good when it comes to employee related issues and she expressed her interests to organizations such as ILO,” said the source.
The source stated that Business Botswana operates more on employer and employee relations which Machailo-Ellis has been doing. The source also stated that Business Botswana secretariat informed the Office of the president as well the members of the organization about the departure of Machailo-Ellis and other government authorities.
Another source, a full paid member stated that the transformation taking place at Business Botswana such as rebranding as well as getting the new CEO is taking place at the right as members are expected to get value for membership.
“It should not only be changing the name from BOCCIM to Business Botswana, the culture of handling matters should also change and politics should not be drawn into the running of the secretariat,” said the source.
The Business Botswana member further said they are hoping that the previous tribulations that bedeviled the firm are over for the benefit of the organization members.
Botswana is a member of the ILO represented by the three constituent members of Employers (Business Botswana), Labour (Botswana Federation of Trade Unions) and the government.
