Next level Who’s Who 2023 continues proud tradition as #1 commercial showcase
“There are most definitely signs of optimism and conducting business on a higher level than pre-COVID,” said the publisher and editor of Who’s Who, Thea Visser, shortly after the 2023 edition was released.
Acknowledging the arduous economic journey of the past three years, Thea elaborated “It is three years after the COVID-19 pandemic upset the world economy, causing it to slump in unexpected ways. The world had to adapt to new ways of thinking, working and socialising. It has not been an easy road to walk, but it taught everyone invaluable lessons. The saying, ‘it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good’ is certainly true.”
Revealing a deep wisdom that only comes with experience, she commented “Here in Namibia, we went through the same learning curve as elsewhere. With resilience we settled into a new reality of ‘Business Unusual’ with leaner structures, innovative thinking and flexible methods of dealing with business opportunities and problems.”
Bringing Who’s Who back into the mainstream was extremely difficult with the 2021/22 combined edition. With the 2023 edition, Thea says the market was still tight but there were signs overall of a renewed optimism.
“The world’s and Namibia’s economies are slowly recovering and while it may take a bit longer to return to pre-COVID levels, recover it will inevitably. While it is up to each business, big or small, to survive and even thrive, we’ve learned that collaborating for the greater good bring many returns.”
Who’s Who 2023 stands out as one of the commendable events in the publishing world. It is a publication with a 19-year history that is just as impressive as its high-quality content, layout and print.
Sporting 238 pages, the 2023 edition underscores yet again why the publication is so popular in management circles and why it is offered with pride at Namibian embassies to prospective visitors and investors.
Sadly, the impact of the Covid recession is only too visible, and it will probably take another two or three editions before this encompassing window on commerce, indutry and services, shines as in prior years.
Given the publication’s obvious quality and impressive coverage of statutory bodies, it is perplexing why Bank Windhoek will feature so prominently but the other three big banks missed the opportunity. Similarly, companies with bring futures like Paratus and the Indongo Group feature prominently but companies that suffered under Covid like the O&L Group and the Pupkewitz Group, shine in their absense.
Also baffling is the glaring absense of leading industrial conglomerates like the Namib Mills Group and the many significant fishing companies in Walvis Bay and Lüderitz. And why a niche long-term insurer like PPS grabbed the opportunity but the really big insurers forgot to hoist their livery.
The same with a large number of government-owned institutions – their leadership simply did not have the foresight to realise what level of exposure they have missed.
A subtle impression comes across that many of Namibia’s commercial entities and parastatals that suffered severe damage during the pandemic, are not yet confident enough about their commercial prospects, to raise their banners in a public forum of such extraordinary good taste.
Who’s Who 2023 is available at book shops and at the distribution company, Namibia Book Market, located in the Grünerkranz Building in Macadam Street, opposite Obeco in the Southern Industrial Area in Windhoek. Namibia Book Market can be contacted at 061 236938.
Electronic copies are available upon request from Thea Visser at [email protected].
