Strategic Leadership
The Botswana Trade Commission (BOTC) Act of 2013 makes provision for “a Board of the Commission which shall perform such functions as may be conferred on it under the Act. The Board shall consist of:
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the Chief Executive Officer who shall be an ex officio member;
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a representative of the private sector appointed by the Minister who shall be the Chairperson of the Board;
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a representative of the:
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department responsible for international trade;
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ministry responsible for agriculture;
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ministry responsible for finance; and
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Botswana Unified Revenue Services; and
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three members appointed by the Minister with such expert knowledge in international trade, economics, law, accounting, agriculture, exporting and importing trade, freight forwarding trade, finance, insurance, labour or public affairs.”
The current membership of the Board is as follows:
Dr. Kealeboga Bojosi, Board Chairperson
Dr Bojosi has read, taught and practiced law in Botswana and England, specialising in Banking, Finance, General Commercial Law, International Trade and Corporate Governance. Amongst other qualifications, he holds LLMs from the University of Cambridge (International Commercial Law) and the University of Pretoria (International Human Rights Law) and a Doctor of Philosophy in International Law from Oxford University. He has also completed several executive management trainings, including the Oxford Leadership Program through the Said Business School, Oxford University. He is an Attorney of the High Court of Botswana and a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He has previously served on the Boards of Directors of the Motor Vehicle Assurance Fund and SPEDU and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Botswana National Productivity Centre.
Mr. Ernest Kelapile, Vice Board Chairperson
Mr. Kelapile has got 18 years’ experience in Internal Audit, Risk Management and Principles of Good Corporate Governance. His illustrious career spans from the Government of the Republic of Botswana to Telecommunications, Banking and Mining industries. He is currently the Audit Services Manager at Morupule Coal Mine (MCM) in Palapye. Ernest graduated from the University of Botswana (UB) in 2002 with a Bachelor of Accountancy Degree. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) as an Associate Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). He is a member of the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA). Ernest is also an alumni of the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) where he graduated with a Management Development Programme (MDP). He has previously served in the Board of The Institute of Internal Auditors Botswana (IIAB) first as the Chairperson of the Publicity and Fundraising Committee and later as the Vice President. He also has training and experience in Forensic Auditing.
Mr. Thulaganyo Moanaphala Mabe, Board Member
Mr. Thulaganyo Moanaphala Mabe is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience and expertise in economics, taxation, and trade policy analysis. He holds a Master of Commerce in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (Economics) from the University of Botswana. Currently, Mr. Mabe serves as the Managing Director of Ecotax (Pty) Ltd, a consulting firm. In this capacity, he leads the development and implementation of the company's strategic plan, manages external research, and drives organizational growth. Previously, he held a role in the public sector as the Principal Tax Administrator at the Ministry of Finance, where he played a pivotal role in tax policy development and bilateral negotiations. He also worked within the same Ministry as an Economist, contributing to the preparation of project financing agreements and annual project review exercises. His expertise extends to district development, as he served as the Principal District Officer for Development in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Ms. Patricia Malatsi, Board Member
Ms. Patricia Malatsi is a highly accomplished professional with a distinguished background in economics, agriculture, and development planning. She holds a Master of Science in Tropical Agricultural Development with a specialization in Agricultural Economics and Planning from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. Her educational pursuits also include a Postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture, providing her with a solid foundation in economics and agriculture. In 2019, she completed a Financial Management Development Course for Senior Government Financial Managers at the University of Botswana, further enhancing her financial management skills. Throughout her career, Patricia Malatsi has held positions of increasing responsibility and authority within various government ministries on secondment by the Ministry of Finance. Her roles include leadership positions in the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, and Tourism. In these capacities, she monitored development budget expenditure, and contributed to the preparation of national development plans, among other critical responsibilities.
Ms. Keatlaretse Dintle, Board Member
Ms. Keatlaretse Dintle is a highly accomplished and dedicated professional with a distinguished career spanning over two decades in the field of trade economics and international trade agreements. She holds an Honors Degree in Economics and a bachelor’s degree in social sciences (Economics) obtained from the University of the Western Cape and the University of Botswana, respectively. Keatlaretse Dintle has made significant contributions in various roles within the public sector and international trade organizations. She currently works at the Ministry of Trade and Industry as the Chief Trade Officer, with objectives such as overseeing the implementation of Trade Policy and Multilateral Trade Agreements and serving as a Liaison Officer with UNCTAD on Trade Issues relating to Botswana. As the Chief Technical Advisor at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, she served as a Project Manager where she successfully oversaw the implementation of the Trade Related Facility. This initiative has been instrumental in supporting SADC countries in fulfilling their commitments under the SADC Protocol on Trade and the Economic Partnership Agreement between SADC and the European Union. She has also played a crucial role in the implementation of several international agreements, including the Economic Partnership Agreement between SADC and the EU, as well as the SADC Protocol on Trade and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement. Furthermore, Ms. Dintle has actively contributed to Botswana's engagement on the international stage, facilitating the country's position in crucial negotiations such as the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, which she is currently overseeing its implementation at national level.
Ms. Gaone Lucy Arieff, Board Member
Ms. Gaone Lucy Arieff is a highly accomplished professional with a distinguished career in customs administration, international trade, and customs legislation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences (Economics & Accounting) and she is also a Completed Chartered Institute of Management Accountants from BAC. She has undergone specialized training at the World Bank. Additionally, she has pursued executive management education with Stellenbosch University, further enhancing her leadership capabilities. Ms Arieff currently works as the General Manager of Trade Facilitation at BURS, and her primary focus has been on modernizing customs procedures, collaborating with international partners to secure technical assistance, and efficiently managing border operations. Prior to her current position, she worked as Manager of Customer Support from 2008 to 2018, and Principal Customs Officer - International Matters from 1998 to 2008 where she played a role in overseeing excise management and administering duty rebates certificates, among others. Gaone Lucy Arieff's remarkable achievements include her instrumental role in the successful conclusion and signing of the Kazungula Bridge One Stop Border Post agreement. She was a key contributor to the introduction of the Single Administrative Document (SAD) in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), which was later adopted in the broader SADC region. Her expertise was also instrumental in the development of the Customs Procedure Manual currently in use and the establishment of the One Stop Border Post Agreement between Botswana and Namibia.
Mr. Peter Tladinyane, Independent Member, Human Resource Committee
Mr. Tladinyane is currently working as Director, Corporate Services at Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA). He is a highly experienced HR Practitioner who operated at senior level for various organisations such as Botswana Power Corporation(BPC), Debswana and Standard Chartered for a cumulative period spanning over 20 years. His major strength is development and implementation of Human Capital policies/initiatives and strategy, standards, and processes to turn around work environments. Peter is also a labour expert, presiding over industrial relations matters in Industrial Court as an Assessor representing Business Botswana. He is also a member of Occupational Health and Safety Medical Board as a Labour Expert at the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development. Regarding academic qualifications, he holds Master’s Degree in Management (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa), Bachelor's Degree in Statistics and Economics (University of Botswana) and Certificate in Human Resources Management with emphasis on Labour Relations (University of Pretoria).
Ms. Shirley Gabontloge Moncho, Chief Executive Officer-BOTC, Ex-officio Member
Ms. Moncho brings to the Commission a wealth of experience in international trade built over the years by serving in different positions within Government and dealing with international and regional organizations. She progressed through the ranks in Government Ministries/Departments (Ministry of Agriculture (then) and the Ministry Investment, Trade and Industry) to currently the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for industry and investment attraction and promotion as well as Doing Business Reforms. Ms Moncho has been involved in trade negotiations both at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels with Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Tripartite (involving 3 regional blocks) and World Trade Organization (WTO). She was attached to South Africa’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) in 2006 for 18 months to gain experience on the mandate of BOTC. She served on the founding BOTC Board (also as member of HR Committee), BECI Board (also as member of HR Committee) and Tokafala Board. She is currently a member of the BDC Board of Directors and member of the Human Capital Committee. Ms Moncho holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University in the USA, BSc in Agriculture from University of Botswana and Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practices (Trade Policy) from University of Cape Town.