WINDHOEK – The Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) Board of Directors have confirmed the retirement of Shihaleni Ellis Ndjaba, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDTC, who retired at the end of December 2018, following 11 years of dedicated service to the company. He is succeeded by Brent Eiseb, who previously served at strategic level as Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing. Eiseb’s appointment is effective from January 01, 2019.
Ndjaba’s illustrious career included serving as Director of Operations in the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, followed by his role as Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. He was later appointed as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication in 2005.
In the same year he made his debut in the diamond industry when he was tasked to lead the Government Negotiating Team (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia) to negotiate the Sales Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Namibia and the De Beers Group, an agreement that paved the way for the establishment of NDTC amongst other key developments that supported further development in the diamond industry.
Ndjaba briefly served as NDTC’s first Board Chairperson in 2007 and was later appointed as the pioneering Chief Executive Officer in 2008. He has overseen the establishment of NDTC and its growth over eleven years, as a result directly impacting the expansion of the manufacturing industry and realizing downstream beneficiation.
The Namibian diamond sector has seen significant improvements in a number of key areas such as skills development and technology, helping positioning it for a successful future.
Meanwhile, Brent Eiseb started with De Beers Group 23 years ago when he joined as a Trainee Sorter. After completing 12 months of on-the-job training, Eiseb joined the Rough Diamond Division and occupied a variety of roles over the next few years. During this time, Eiseb took up a secondment in the De Beers UK Office that laid the foundation for what would become his deep-rooted passion for diamonds. After spending 10 years in the Rough Diamond Division, he joined the Sales team in London as a Trainee Key Account Manager. He was able to complete what was initially a 24-month training programme in 12 months and returned to Namibia in December 2007 to take up the role of a Key Account Manager.
In April 2010, Eiseb took up the role of Head of Sales and Marketing at NDTC. After the migration of Sales from London to Botswana, he relocated to Gaborone to take up the role of Vice President Sales Eastern Hemisphere for De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, responsible for leading the Key Accounts Management teams for the Indian and the Far East markets. Eiseb returned to Namibia in May 2016 to take up his role of Senior Manager Sales and Marketing at NDTC and was instrumental in the successful implementation of the new Namibian Sorting, Valuing, Sales and Marketing Agreement. He was one of the key individuals instrumental in driving the Namibian Beneficiation and Sales functions.
“The NDTC Board of Directors thank Mr Ndjaba for his remarkable contribution to NDTC’s continued success. I wish him a wonderful and restful retirement. And equally congratulate Mr Brent Eiseb on his new role and wish him well as he takes on the leadership of NDTC,” said NDTC Board Chairperson, Paul Rowley.