Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun receives U.S. business award

As the only woman on the Standard Bank Namibia Board, Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun recently received the African Business Leaders of the Year Award from the Corporate Council on Africa, based in Washington, DC.
Mpumzi Pupuma Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia congratulated Mrs Namundjebo-Tilahun on her wonderful achievement. He added that they are proud to have such a formidable woman as part of their Board of Directors.
Namundjebo-Tilahun is the Chairperson and Co-owner of the United Africa Group, the holding company of various property, services and hospitality business operations. This year Namundjebo-Tilahun was the only woman to receive this award from a panel of male entrepreneurs and business leaders across Africa.

“I have no doubt that this recognition is not only directed to me, but to thousands of other entrepreneurs and business leaders across the African continent, especially the women who toil in business against the backdrop of gender inequality,” said Namundjebo-Tilahun. She therefore dedicated this award to the African girl child and she said it is her hope that this will be a humble encouragement to African girls and young women to pursue a career in entrepreneurship and business leadership. “That way, Africa will be transformed for the better.”
“My advice to women is that there is no need to prove that as women we are as good or as better than men because one’s capabilities are not judged by gender but the results of your input. Embrace your characteristics, qualities, strengths and weaknesses; have a dream and chase it, but most of all keep your standards high. That, I believe is the recipe for success. As a woman we do not have to present a manly persona for us to be recognised as effective leaders. The people we lead are not interested in our toughness, but rather the extent to which we care about them,” said Namundjebo-Tilahun.
The Corporate Council on Africa recognised four individuals as examples of positive leadership, perseverance and vision throughout the continent. Apart from Namundjebo-Tilahun, the other individuals are: Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman of ASKY Airlines (Togo); Meck Khalfan, CEO and co- founder of Puku LLC (New York/Tanzania); and Dr. Gachao Kiuna, PhD, CEO of Trans-Century Limited (Kenya).
The Washington based organisation celebrated 20 years of promoting U.S. Africa business relations, especially private sector investment across the continent. The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) is a non-profit membership organisation established in 1993.