The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has made four key new appointments to its management structure, primarily in the Office of the Governor, the Oshakati Branch, and the Banking Supervision Department.
The changes, according to the apex bank, are intended to meet stakeholders’ expectations as it prepares to transform and further modernise the financial system by spearheading a transformative and responsive regulatory and supervisory regime.
Romeo Nel, a long-serving Director of Banking Supervision, has been appointed Technical Advisor to the Governor.
Nel has been with the Bank for 22 years, the last 13 as Director of Banking Supervision.
As Technical Advisor, he will now be in charge of championing financial sector development and providing advice on the optimal financial services regulatory architecture for Namibia, as well as trends in banking institutions, non-banking financial institutions, payment systems, and exchange control regulations, in order to ensure Namibia’s banking, non-banking, and payment systems are functional and transformed.
Moudi Hangula, the current Principal Analyst in the National Payment Systems Department, has been promoted to Branch Manager at the Oshakati Branch. The Oshakati Branch provides banking services to the government, commercial banks, and the general public. It also ensures sufficient quantities of quality banknotes and coins in the northern regions.
Ancois Plaatje has been appointed as the Head of the Banking Supervision Department in an acting capacity.
Plaatje is the founding Head of the Bank’s newly established Innovation Hub, spearheading the digital transformation effort and transforming the financial services sector.
Karin Elago, as part of the changes, has been appointed as Acting Deputy Director of On-site Examinations in the Banking Supervision Department.
The Governor of the Bank, Johannes !Gawaxab, expressed confidence in the new appointments, citing their collective experience and expertise as critical for the effective implementation of the Bank’s Strategic Plan (2022-2024) as it enters its second year of implementation.
“I am delighted to have Romeo, Moudi, Ancois, and Karin on board at this critical juncture in the execution of our game plan. I want to thank them for accepting these new positions, which will help us provide banking services to our northern stakeholders and support the resilience and stability of Namibia’s financial system,” he said.
Last year the central bank appointed Leonie Dunn as Second Deputy Governor, while Kazembire Zemburuka was appointed Director for Strategic Communications as part of earlier senior management changes in the central bank.