Q: How would you describe your professional journey, from your academic training to your leadership roles today?
A: My professional journey has been one of deliberate evolution, from academic inquiry to strategic execution at the highest levels of governance. It was never a straight line, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. My doctoral training at the University of Manchester Business School sharpened my ability to think critically, question systems, and understand complex organisational dynamics. I was awarded a research grant based on merit — not connections — and that principle has guided me ever since.
Serving as Deputy Dean at the University of Botswana, heading the Marketing Department, and transitioning into executive and board roles across public and private institutions allowed me to move from teaching strategy to shaping it. Over 27 years, I have served on boards such as Botswana Ash, the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), and now BotswanaPost. Each role reinforced that governance is about what you do once you occupy a chair.
Through Practicum Institute, which I founded as a BQA-accredited institution, I model transformational leadership and cultivate professionalism to serve our economy.
Q: Your career spans academia, consulting, and board leadership. What core leadership philosophy has remained constant?
A: Leadership is about shifting mindsets before shifting strategy. At Practicum Institute, we call it “Propelling Mindset Shift for Transformation,” and it underpins every program we deliver. Sustainable results begin with clarity of purpose, disciplined execution, and courageous conversations. Institutions struggle not because they lack intelligence but because people cling to comfort zones that no longer serve the organisation or nation. My role has been to challenge complacency, build alignment, and create environments where performance and integrity coexist.
Q: BotswanaPost operates at the intersection of public service and commercial sustainability. How do you balance social mandate with financial discipline?
A: The balance lies in clarity of mandate and disciplined governance. Social responsibility and commercial sustainability are inseparable. The social mandate cannot justify inefficiency, and commercial sustainability cannot ignore national responsibility. We serve communities across Botswana, from Gaborone to the most remote villages.
We focus on strong internal controls, strategic diversification, measured investment in digital transformation, and cost discipline aligned with service delivery. Social impact must be supported by financial viability. I am proud that one of our legacy objectives is for BotswanaPost to declare dividends for the first time in two decades — a sign that public institutions can be purposeful and profitable when well governed.
Q: International Women’s Day often focuses on empowerment. What does empowerment mean in practical leadership terms?
A: Empowerment is access, authority, and accountability. I believe deeply in the empowerment of women, but empowerment without competence is decoration. Practically, it means giving women decision-making power, providing strategic information, allowing room for independent judgment, and measuring performance objectively. Symbolism inspires, but competence drives results.
In Botswana, the gap between men and women in leadership is narrower than often perceived; foreign nationals occupy many senior roles, which skews the picture. Women empowerment is essential, but it must be paired with competence to achieve national objective
Q: What advice would you give young professional women aspiring to board-level leadership?
A: Develop competence before visibility. Understand financial statements because governance is numbers and strategy. Build credibility through delivery, not proximity to power. Seek mentors, but also cultivate sponsors — mentors advise; sponsors advocate when you are not in the room. Protect your integrity; reputation is currency at board level. Leadership is earned through preparation. Respect your journey, create your own opportunities, and do not rush the process.
Q: What legacy would you like to leave behind at BotswanaPost?
A: I want my tenure to be remembered for four things: strengthened governance and accountability, clear strategic direction toward digital and commercial sustainability, a culture shift toward performance excellence, and, for the first time in history, BotswanaPost declaring dividends. Legacy is about institutional resilience. If the institution emerges more agile, financially disciplined, and strategically aligned with national priorities, my contribution will have been meaningful.
