WASHINGTON, DC – Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, who sits on the Standard Bank Namibia board of directors recently received an African Business Leaders of the Year Award from the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), based in Washington, DC, United States, as the only female out of four honorees. The other individuals are Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman of ASKY Airlines (Togo), Meck Khalfan, CEO and co-founder of Puku LLC (New York/Tanzania) and Dr Gachao Kiuna, PhD, CEO of Trans-Century Limited (Kenya).
Namundjebo-Tilahun received the award on December 12 last year in recognition of her positive leadership and business excellence in Africa. “On behalf of the Standard Bank Namibia board, management and staff I would like to congratulate Mrs Namundjebo-Tilahun on her wonderful achievement. We, at Standard Bank Namibia, are proud to have such a formidable woman as part of our Board of Directors,” said Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia, Mpumzi Pupuma. A well-known and astute businesswoman in her own right Namundjebo-Tilahun is the chairperson and co-owner of the United Africa Group (Pty) Ltd, the holding company of various property, services and hospitality business operations in the country.
She is a holder of an MBA degree from the University of California and another MBA degree specialising in finance. Namundjebo-Tilahun was the only woman to receive the award from a panel of male entrepreneurs and business leaders across the African continent.
“I have no doubt that this recognition is not only directed to me and my fellow awardees, but to thousands other entrepreneurs and business leaders across the African continent, especially the women who toil in business against the backdrop of gender inequality,” said Namundjebo-Tilahun. “It is my firm belief that African women in business will prove to be a key pillar of the continent’s economic success. It is imperative that as the continent implements its economic development agenda, it makes genuine efforts to encourage the emergence and growth of women in business. Such efforts will result in broad-based economic empowerment of a vast majority of Africans and the eventual elimination of economic hardships within African communities,” added Namundjebo-Tilahun.
She dedicated the award to the African girl-child.
“It is my hope that this will be a humble encouragement to African girls and young women to pursue a career in entrepreneurship and business leadership. That way we will transform Africa for the better.” The CCA recognized four individuals as examples of positive leadership, perseverance and vision throughout the continent. The Washington-based CCA also celebrated 20 years of promoting US-Africa business relations, especially private sector investment across the continent.
The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) is a non-profit, membership-based organisation established in 1993 to promote business and investment between the United States and the nations of Africa. The CCA includes members from more than 160 companies, which represent nearly 85 percent of total US private sector investments in Africa.
“My advice to women is that there is no need to prove that as women we are as good or as better than men, because one’s capabilities are not judged by gender but the results of your input. Embrace your characteristics, qualities, strengths and weaknesses; have a dream and chase it, but most of all keep your standards high. That, I believe is the recipe for success. As women we do not have to present a manly persona for us to be recognised as effective leaders. The people we lead are not interested in our toughness, but rather the extent to which we care about them,” said Namundjebo-Tilahun.
By Staff Reporter