By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK – Hilma Hitula has taken over the reins at Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) as the acting Chief Executive Officer, following the resignation of Stanely Shanipanda.
Shanapinda resigned to pursue his doctorate at the University of New South Wales in Australia. His resignation is effective as of July 11, 2014.
Hitula has until now served on the board of CRAN as the vice chairperson, having been one of the first appointees to the board in 2010, and served as the board’s chair for legal and technical committee. She is an admitted legal practitioner of the High Court of Namibia, and has for the past four years served as the legal, regulatory and enforcement advisor to the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA) in the Ministry of Works and Transport. Until her resignation from the DCA to take up the post at CRAN, Hitula has also served as the vice chairperson of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’ Legal Committee and the chairperson of the Legal Commission at the 2013 ICAO Assembly.
“As a pioneering board member, Hitula understands CRAN’s business, she has helped draft the regulations under the Communications Act, the policies and has assisted in shaping the vision of CRAN. [We] are confident that the appointment of Hitula will provide assurance to our stakeholders that it is business as usual at CRAN, and the board has no doubt that Hitula will ensure that no aspect of CRAN’s business is compromised during this transition period,” a statement from CRAN said.
Shanipanda, who was appointed CRAN CEO in 2011, resigned to pursue his PhD in Computer Science and the Legal aspects of Cyber Security. “Shanipanda has made invaluable contributions to CRAN, having being instrumental in setting up the organizational structure of CRAN and the recruitment of 30 staff members”, said CRAN Chairman, Lasarus Jacobs, in a statement issued this week.