New Central bank governor 
The long-serving Bank of Botswana (BoB) employee Moses Pelaelo, who has been one of the two Deputy Governors at the bank, was named the new Governor of the Central Bank, replacing Linah Mohohlo who retired in November. 

Pelaelo’s name had been cropping up as one of the potential successors of Mohohlo ever since the departure deputy governor Oduetse Motshidisi earlier in 2016. Other appointments are of his deputies at BoB, Dr Kealeboga Masalila and Andrew Motsomi.

BTC
Botswana Telecommunication Corporation Limited (BTCL) this December confirmed a telco expert, Anthony Masunga as the company’s substantive Managing Director. The appointment is said to be effective January 1, 2017, six months after the departure of the former MD – Paul Taylor.  Meanwhile, Lorato Boakgomo-Ntakhwana, former Chief Executive Officer at First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) filled the BTC top board room chair as she got elected BTCL board of director’s chairperson in October 2016.

Debswana OLD mines
Senior leadership changes at Debswana Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines in the Debswana Diamond Company announced the new General Manager Bakani Motlhabani. He is replacing Alan Breen who will leave the company at the end of this year. Motlhabani, a metallurgist who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Birmingham in 1995, will assume this role on January 1, 2017.

First Sun Insurance
In the insurance space, Tiny Kgatlwane joined First Sun Alliance Insurance Brokers as Executive Director. At the time, she was of the view that First Sun Alliance Insurance Brokers has been establishing itself as a big brand in the insurance broker firm-financial services sector. Within First Sun Insurance Brokers (FSIB) they recently introduced an innovative product called the “First Sun Executive Plus” in partnership with Botswana Insurance Company Limited (BIC), targeting the higher end of the market. 

MVA
Former NBFIRA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Corporate Services Michael Tlhagwane kicked all the boxes and emerged the big boss. He was previously MVA General Manager Corporate Services before joining NBFIRA as deputy CEO. Tlhagwane was replacing Cross Kgosidiile.

Collins Newman & Co
The country’s prominent Gaborone-based law firm, Collins Newman and Company, Senior Partner Riana Desai, left to establish his own private law firm. Desai mutually separated from the law firm together with his fellow partners Dineo Makati-Mpho and Angelica Bojosi to offer legal solutions that are tailor-made to client needs, adding that this is primarily, but not exclusively, as regards corporate and commercial clients at the new Desai Law Group.

BTO 
The sudden and unexpected resignation in August of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) Thabo Dithebe has plunged the already ailing tourism industry under a welter of further confusion and uncertainty. Dithebe’s superior, Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism Tshekedi Khama later decided to cut short notice period of the outgoing CEO. This was also followed by Tshekedi’s series of appearances through the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Bodies and Enterprises having been subpoenaed to appear before the committee twice to answer for alleged illegal decisions he made at the parastatal.
 

Fitt out 
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communication, Neil Fitt, is the first high ranking casualty in the ongoing reshuffle and rearrangement at the Government Enclave. Fitt’s departure came a few weeks after the arrival of new minister Kitso Mokaila. He had previously held positions such as PS in the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Coordinator-Transport Hub and also Coordinator Agricultural Hub.
 

SPEDU suspend Mokubung 
The troubled Selibe Phikwe-based newly established parastatal, Selebi-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) moved from bad to worse with government suspending the founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mokubung Mokubung. The grounds for his suspension were not clear and the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Vincent Seretse confirmed that Mokubung had been suspended. The suspension comes after the corruption agency Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) investigators raided the SPEDU offices.