Executive Spotlight

Interview with Ms. Amupolo

Welcome to the Executive Spotlight Series, where we delve into the minds of industry leaders shaping the future Today, we have the privilege of featuring Ms. Alisa Amupolo, the visionary leader driving NAMDIA to new heights in the diamond industry! As Executive, she's on a mission to maximize Namibian diamond value for the nation's benefit From fostering a culture of excellence to charting strategic market paths, she's dedicated to making a difference

Can you describe your executive role?

In my executive role at NAMDIA, I am tasked with developing, directing and managing the organization to become a respected corporate citizen, ensuring optimal value from Namibian diamonds for the benefit of the Namibian State and its citizens I lead by example, fostering an engaging work culture based on strong values, aiming to sustainably anchor positive energy and engagement at all levels It is imperative that the net value proposition of NAMDIA is well understood by all stakeholders to enable growth. I focus on maximizing our business potential by targeting carefully researched markets where the rarity and uniqueness of Namibian diamonds are highly valued, leveraging this to enhance our value proposition within the diamond sector Effective organizational management is key, balancing resources for continuity and capacity optimization. Additionally, I work to develop and optimize our value chain to support our objectives effectively, ensuring superior governance and enhancing brand and image value across stakeholders

Where does it derive its mandate?

Our organization derives its mandate from a multifaceted approach aimed at serving the interests of the Namibian government and its citizens. Firstly, we function as a vital price discovery mechanism by actively engaging in the diamond value chain, ensuring transparent and fair pricing to benefit all stakeholders involved Additionally, we strive to establish a prominent Namibian footprint in the downstream market, thereby enhancing our country's presence in the global diamond industry Moreover, we provide advisory services to the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), offering expertise on various aspects of the diamond industry to facilitate informed decision-making on policies affecting the local diamond industry Lastly, we are dedicated to developing Namibian expertise and building capacity across the entire diamond value chain, ensuring the sustainable growth and competitiveness of our industry.

What is the Vision, Mission and Value proposition of the organisation that you lead?

Vision: Our vision is to become the premier trader of ethically sourced, natural Namibian Diamonds, setting the standard for excellence in the global diamond industry

Mission: Our mission is threefold: Firstly, to enhance the visibility and demand for Namibian diamonds on the global market, positioning them as a sought-after choice for consumers worldwide. Lastly, to foster expertise and facilitate local participation across the entire diamond value chain, empowering Namibians to play a significant role in shaping the future of our industry

Value Proposition: Our value proposition revolves around the supply of ethically sourced, high-quality Namibian rough diamonds at competitive market prices. Namibian diamonds offer unparalleled advantages, including a shorter and faster journey to market compared to diamonds from other producing countries This is attributed to its alluvial beauty being in the only country in the world that is sustainability recovery diamonds offshore

This results in increased turnover and profitability for stakeholders. Additionally, our diamonds are highly sought after in the luxury niche market, boasting naturally semipolished features and exceptional high yield, which streamline the manufacturing process, reducing time and minimizing losses In short, our unique value proposition is that Namdia is the only entity in the world that is ethically trading 100% natural diamonds of Namibian origin, unaggregated.

As a mentor, what are some of the key attributes you bring to leading your organisation?

As a mentor, my leadership at NAMDIA is anchored in authenticity and empathy. Drawing from my experiences as CEO, I prioritize staying true to myself while supporting others in their professional growth. I firmly believe in fostering a collaborative environment where every team member's expertise is valued Whether as a mother, career professional, or academic, I approach leadership with a collective mindset By focusing on teamwork, we gain diverse perspectives and effectively navigate challenges together, ensuring a balanced approach to achieving our goals.

What aspect of your sector keeps you awake at night?

I think the biggest challenge is to lead in a time of uncertainties, how to develop an agile and resilient team As a leader, I’m deeply invested in leveraging the full potential of leadership roles, particularly during challenging times. The aspect of my sector that weighs on my mind the most is navigating through uncertainties and fostering agility and resilience of the diamond sector with my team I am passionate about driving business results and creating positive impacts in every role I undertake

During times of turbulence, my primary concern is the wellbeing and support of our team members. Effective communication and support systems are vital during such periods. Reflecting on the challenges we faced during the market turmoil last year, which we are still recovering from, reinforces the importance of prioritizing our people

Currently, what keeps me awake at night is how we can extract the best value and effectively promote the Namibian diamond story underpinned by transparency and superior governance. It's crucial for NAMDIA to fulfill its promise by maximizing value and contributing significantly to Namibia's GDP This responsibility drives me to constantly seek innovative strategies and dynamic approaches to achieve our goals

What has been your proudest moment to date leading the organisation?

Delivering maximum value for the shareholder and Namibian people by declaring a dividend of 300 million NAD, following a buoying year This catapulted the awards of NAMDIA Foundation Bursary Scheme enabling brilliant Namibian gems from 14 regions to molded in polished gems across various field of studies.

Conclusion

Ms. Alisa Amupolo's leadership at NAMDIA is truly inspiring! From maximizing diamond value for Namibia to fostering a culture of excellence, her vision is driving transformative change As we conclude, her commitment to transparency, resilience, and innovation shines brightly

Just over 6 months ago, I embarked on the challenging journey as the new CEO of the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) A position I was honored to have been t selected for My predecessors Mr David Nuyoma, DBN's founding CEO, and former CEO Mr Martin Inkumbi, certainly left some big shoes to fill. They created the foundation upon which our team at DBN is building. Consistently and continuously focused on and rolling out DBN's mission; the Development Bank of Namibia strives to be recognized for its significant impact on sustainable socio-economic development and transformation in Namibia It also fulfills he Bank's vision; The vision of DBN is to play a leading role in Namibia's sustainable economic growth.

I firmly believe that DBN must be; ‘the partner of choice for Namibia's innovative development solutions ’ Alongside large-scale infrastructure projects and business development, we must be SME-focused Where DBN specifically engages with female entrepreneurs and the Namibian youth and stimulate and create opportunities for them. That's why my first 6 months were spent with the whole DBN Team creating a roadmap that embodies the values of 'Let's Develop '

Namibia is in a critical socio-economic phase that can bring positive change through enduring growth, but this growth needs to be stimulated from the ground up. No Namibian must be left behind in pursuit of our economic development. President Hage Geingob, who sadly passed away earlier this year was a great champion of stimulating economic development He passionately believed that it was the only way to build a strong and stable Namibian House, with room for every Namibian We will continue to implement his vision

Major Namibian oil and gas and renewable energy projects, as well as major infrastructure projects are being developed, as we speak At the same time, we cannot lose sight of the fact that an essential driver of socio-economic upliftment and development needs to focus on green industrialization and youth and female empowerment through business ownership. This development and growth need to happen in the rural parts of the country and not just be urban-centric.

Economic development and growth require proper planning It's no good just wishing for development My excellent colleagues at DBN gave me a crash course in the Bank's overall mandate, operations, culture, and financial status, including the challenges that DBN is facing We cannot shy away from challenges and issues, and collectively, we can conquer these challenges.

One of the first activities DBN embarked on was a strategic journey to shape the Bank's future This was not a task undertaken by a few individuals; it was a collective effort As CEO, I can only affect change if every colleague believes in the direction that we are mapping out. We are 'pulling together' and crafting DBN's five-year strategy, emphasizing that each employee's input, collective wisdom, and insights are essential ingredients for creating and implementing a successful and sustainable strategy and a business plan I believe this is the foundation upon which we build a HighPerforming and agile organization How else can we as the custodians of socio-economic development motivate and assist SMEs, and entrepreneurs in developing themselves? It is also one of the reasons DBN fosters a work environment that centers around the well-being of the employees A happy employee is a high-performing colleague

DBN's strategy formulation started with departmental strategy sessions that forged the Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP). It is the roadmap for the coming five years and is flexible enough to adapt where and when necessary, without losing focus of our long-term mission and vision Our organization engaged in thought-provoking and valuable discussions with internal and external stakeholders and partners We are nothing without our partners and stakeholders and do not operate in a vacuum. The importance of DBN's mandate cannot be denied, and this is why there were high-level meetings with President Mbumba in his previous role as Vice President, as well as with the former Head of State, His Excellency Dr Hifikepunye Pohamba, the Prime Minister and, the former CEO's of DBN Our collaboration with our partners extends to engagements with the Economic Association of Namibia, the NSX, Foreign Embassies, High Commissions, SOEs, and development partners. All of whom play a vital role in keeping the focus firmly on socio-economic development activities

We are not just a bank; we are the strategic partner of choice for public and private organizations, whether focused on developing large scale infrastructure projects or SMEs. We value and nurture our existing partnerships and are always open to forging new ones Our intent is to foster and support development, and we cannot do this without them

One of the challenges we must tackle first is DBN's Loan Book; we cannot begin to speak about growth and assist entrepreneurs from the grassroots upwards without knowing that our financial situation is healthy A healthy Loan Book means we receive repayments and can continue the cycle of development and entrepreneurship

Recognizing the importance of the Bank's sustainability, while contributing to Namibia's national development impact, allows us to implement our five-year roadmap. It enables SMEs to take their concepts, ideas, and brainwaves and turn them into marketable services, activities, and products This allows DBN to position itself as the 'partner of choice' for SMEs over the next five years

It has been a busy and fruitful first six months, focused on ensuring that our mantra, 'Let's Develop,' is not a hollow slogan but the guiding principle upon which we can base Namibia's socio-economic development for the next five years and beyond -End

Written by:

Dr. John Steytler CEO- Development Bank of Namibia