Ndapewa Vistorina Hangula is the Managing Director for August 26 Manufacturing, a position she has held since February 2021. Ndapewa is an avid and solid strategist and business development expert and a mature business leader. She has a combined experience of more than 20 years of which over 10 years has been at senior and executive management level across multiple industries.
With a strong Business background, Ndapewa started her career in the IT filed, and later changed her focus to the business side of companies. Her expertise includes Management Consulting, Strategy Development and implementation, Performance Management, Business Development and ICT. She has success led numerous large strategic, business planning and technology projects for various organizations ranging from public enterprises, local authorities as well as the private sector organizations, both in Namibia and South Africa.
Prior to her current role, Ndapewa worked for PwC Namibia for 5 and a half years where she held various leadership positions, the last being the Senior Manager for Client, Market Development & Strategy Consulting as well as being a senior consultant at Quest Business Consulting. Other positions held include Managing Director of a local consulting firm and Business Development Executive at various ICT Service Providers in Namibia.
Ms Hangula holds an MBA from the Steinbeis University of Berlin in Germany; a certificate in ICT Strategic Planning from the University of Malta; a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from University of Cape Town; and a National Diploma in Business Computing from Polytechnic of Namibia (NUST). She further possesses various professional development certificates.
Where did Ndapewa’s journey begin?
In the heart of Katutura. I was born and grew up in Katutura, that is also where I completed my schooling. Mandume Primary School to A. Shipena Secondary School.
Do you come from a large family?
Oh yes. I’m number 5 of 8 siblings, not to mention the cousins that my parents raised. Our house was always full of extended family members.
Your first qualification was in IT. Has that always been your dream?
No, not at all. When I was in grade 11, the Faculty Officers from the then Polytechnic of Namibia, now NUST, recommended that as young girls, we should consider studying IT. My dream was to be a lawyer.
How has your background in IT helped you with being the business leader that you are right now?
Indeed it has. Being in IT exposed me to many opportunities which included working for Telecom Namibia, FNB and Gijima. I was also fortunate enough to participate in a capacity building program in Germany which focused on “IT in African Businesses”. I believe that is when the bug bit.
You shifted your career from IT to getting your hands into business management. Can you talk to us about that journey?
After a number of years, I started getting bored in the IT space and didn’t really enjoy the work I was doing. I first thought it’s the companies I worked for but after changing jobs a few times I realized it’s not the companies but rather what I was doing. I therefore pursued business studies at the UCT Graduate School of Business in Cape Town, South Africa and as you might know post graduate studies are hectic . However as challenging as that program was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. When I moved back to Namibia, I took on roles that still had the technology aspect however more focused on the business side.
You are very accomplished academically. Your qualifications read like a tapestry of various industries in our country. Please talk us through some of these qualifications?
I would hardly say I’m accomplished academically (laughs). I have been fortunate to have worked with leaders that encouraged me to be intentional about the things I do, and therefore take on responsibilities or initiatives that will help me grow. My qualifications include National Diploma in Business Computing, Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration and Global Masters in Business Administration. I also have various industry qualifications that range from IT Governance and Strategic Planning, Project Management, International Trade, Management and Leading People.
How did you end up doing an MBA in Germany?
The MBA program was a blended program that had online modules and residentials (face-to-face) in Namibia and Germany. My previous experience in Germany also contributed to me opting to this, as well as the quality focused culture associated with Germany.
Are we to assume that you can speak German?
(laughs) My German was good but now not so much.
Your academic journey took you from Namibia, South Africa, Malta and eventually Germany. What have you learnt from these travels.
Traveling generally exposes one to various sides of countries like culture, food, history innovation and the people. Having travelled to and worked in these countries exposed me to both the academic and professional aspects. In South Africa, I learned the true meaning of diversity in a workplace and how that is embraced and also how it can be a great opportunity for companies to thrive. Germany being a first world country is far advanced, and that is where I was first exposed to the true meaning of innovation. My residential module in Germany was on Operations Management and included site visits to manufacturing companies. Many of these factories are largely machine/robots driven, however integration with the human skills was very impressive. I have seen efficiency first hand and that is what I try to achieve in my work. Malta was an online program, therefore have not travelled to the island yet.
You were a Senior Manager for Client, Market Development & Strategy Consulting at PWC. What did the job entail?
My work at PwC mostly consisted of Management (Strategy) Consulting focused on Development of Strategy for Public
Enterprises, Strategic annual/operational plans, Project Management Stakeholder Engagement and Workshop Facilitation. My work in addition included people management as well as the administrative responsibilities of being a manager.
The last part of my time however focused on Client and Market Development which was largely looking after the Marketing and Business Development for PwC.
You were a senior consultant at Quest Business Consulting. What did the job entail and what did you learn from that job?
I was a senior Consultant at Quest, also focused on Strategy Consulting however my work expanded to Feasibility and Market Studies.
You are the MD of August 26 Manufacturing. How did you land that job?
It was advertised in the newspapers, and I applied for it. I was invited to an interview and I got a job offer and like they say the rest is history.
Can you talk to us about August 26. What does the company do?
August 26 Manufacturing, a subsidiary of August 26 Holdings, is a manufacturing company focused on the production of specialized garments such as uniforms, PPEs, footwear and leather products. The company was established to cater to the uniform requirements of the Namibian Defense Force however has expanded to cater for other sectors in Namibia and the larger public. August26 Manufacturing has the capacity to service the Namibian market and beyond, and it is my dream to get the company there.
We are assuming that you are the first woman to have occupied that position? What are you learning from that experience?
Yes I am, and I hope that I will not be the last. I have learned so much in the past 2 and a half years. I believe I have grown so much professionally and learned what it means to be responsible for so many people and such a large operation. The business studies are therefore paying off. I’m also learning quite a lot about the national security and the importance of the work we do.
Manufacturing is a tough industry, both locally and internationally, what makes August 26 unique?
We do not have a big Garment Manufacturing industry in Namibia however having the background of manufacturing uniforms for the NDF makes the company unique. We have the skills and expertise, and continue to build those to ensure we deliver on our promises. With the support of our shareholder, we are now building capacity by integrating technology into our traditionally manual production.
What type of manufacturing is your company involved in?
We have 2 factories, the one in Windhoek focused on garment production and in Okahandja we have the footwear manufacturing.
You are known as a business strategist which is mainly informed by your background in IT. What major changes are happening in your profession right now?
Business Strategy is a passion, I believe my IT background helped a lot as being a Business Analyst (previous roles) requires one to understand the department or organization you’re servicing. This entails asking many questions, carrying out research and working with many different people. My approach to work (and life) is to seek solutions, and to think on one’s feet.
I would say the changes in the profession happening are technology driven, we have to invest in technology and leverage on that. This in turn requires one to have certain skills around you as a leader. The great thing happening now is that we have a lot of young people who are super stars and are leading departments and companies. In as much as COVID-19 brought a lot of negativity, it also pushed many people and companies to be more innovative and creative.
You are involved in manufacturing and have a strong IT background, what is your personal take on AI and how it will affect your industry?
AI in manufacturing has been happening for quite some time. Our industry is however a bit different in the sense that it is still manual. I have visited various factories in South Africa and in Asia and these markets are still operating with many hands.
There are however parts in the production process that AI can contribute to efficiency and therefore lead to better quality and higher output, however the sector will still require humans to put together the products.
Should Namibians be scared of AI?
I do not think we as Namibians should be scared of AI or any other development. I do not believe that many of our sectors are ready, therefore we need to perhaps first invest in upskilling, infrastructure and the technology that will help us to be ready for AI.
Where do you see Ndapewa in the next 5 years?
NVH: (laughs) Watch this space.
