Who's Who Namibia 2017 (Volume 12), by Thea Visser

Who's Who Namibia 2017 (Volume 12), by Thea Visser. Virtual Marketing. Windhoek, Namibia 2017. ISSN 2026-7452. ISBN 977202674005

Namibian publisher Virtual Marketing features a newly created section in Thea Visser's edition of Who's Who Namibia 2017 (Volume 12), which introduces twenty, well- and lesser-known Namibians.

Thea Visser  

Baronice Hans: MD of Bank Windhoek

Baronice Hans has assiduously forged a remarkable career for someone still so young. Voted Namibia's 2015 Business Woman of the Year in recognition of her successful tenures as General Manager of Finance, Treasury and Property Management at NamPower, and Executive Director and Head of Personal and Business Banking at Standard Bank, this inspiring business leader has taken over the reins as the new MD of Bank Windhoek in February 2016. She is also a wife and mother of three. Here she shares with us her perspective on how success is really measured, as well as the importance of mentoring in terms of developing the next generation of emerging business leaders. Being chosen as the first female to become MD of a bank in Namibia isn't something that happens incidentally. It attests to a level of competence and experience that can only be achieved by committing oneself to the process of learning as much as one can, and taking the time to master an understanding of the industry one is active in. Not one who believes in job-hopping, Baronice Hans has in the past explained how 'staying the course' has shaped her career, as she told Prime Focus in an interview: "Organisations place a lot of relevance on industry knowledge and experience. Most young people feel the need to frequently change jobs in pursuit of financial gain. I spent eight years at NamPower and this allowed me to understand the industry very well. It gave me the insight to operate on executive level. Having served on the founding boards of NoRED, CellOne and Fisheries Observer Agency allowed me invaluable exposure in terms of shaping the direction of organisations. I believe staying in an organisation for at least five years and getting to know the industry in the longer term is more advantageous than changing every two years and knowing very little about any industry." That same focus and immersion will be evident in her new role, too. "I believe that being new presents a challenge in that I need to get a full appreciation and understanding of the Bank, but it is also an opportunity to view things through a different lens." When asked what she considers to be her biggest achievement, Hans tempers her answer with a remarkable and levelling perspective: "I have been blessed with a few, but of late winning the Economist Business Women of the Year award last year, as well as being the first women to become the MD of a Namibian Bank, rank up there. However, being the MD of any company is not so much about how you start the journey as it is about how you end it, therefore ending strong is key." Clearly, this bodes well for future developments at Bank Windhoek. Encouragingly, Hans replies in the negative when asked if she encountered a glass ceiling in her career trajectory. "I can honestly say that I did not experience the glass ceiling. Both men and women (in fact, probably more men than women) have granted me opportunities to grow and have believed in me. That said though, that does not mean other women are not experiencing the glass ceiling. I believe that Namibia is ahead of many countries in terms of opportunities for women, but more can be done." As the conversation turns to leadership inspiration, she shares that Richard Branson is a business leader whom she greatly admires. "I especially admire his visionary and entrepreneurial way of doing business, including how he challenges conventions. [...]

This is an excerpt from Who's Who Namibia 2017 (Volume 12), by Thea Visser.

Title: Who's Who Namibia
Series: Volume 12; 2017 edition
Executive editor: Thea Visser
Publisher: Virtual Marketing
Windhoek, Namibia 2017
ISSN 2026-7452
ISBN 977202674005
Softcover, 21 x 30 cm, 368 pages, throughout colour photos