Hangala Group (Pty) Ltd has announced the retirement of company founder Dr Leake S Hangala, with effect from 1 May 2023.
Hangala who since the establishment of the company in 2009 has been at the helm of the company and served as its Executive Chairman leaves the group of four companies in the hands of his son Mr Pameni Ndeulikufa Hangala who will serve in the new position of Group Chief Executive Officer.
At age 31 Pameni already has close to a decade of hands-on responsible business and managerial experience, beginning at firms outside the Group and most recently within the Group as the Managing Director of Hangala Foods (Pty) Ltd.
At the Board level, and as a successor to Dr Hangala, the Board has appointed one of its long-serving directors and a leading Namibian business personality, Ms Evangelina Nangula Hamunyela, as non-executive Group Chairperson.
Ms Hamunyela has worked in large private and public enterprises, including as Managing Director of Nedloans and Engen Namibia, respectively. Ms Hamunyela is currently the Chairperson of the Namibia Ports Authority’s Board of Directors.
Dr Hangala will remain on the Group’s Board of Directors in a non-executive capacity, helping drive strategic growth in high-potential new business areas for the Group, such as energy and agri-business.
Pending entry into the energy sector, Hangala Group’s four operating subsidiaries, each with its own management and Board, will remain Hangala Foods (Pty) Ltd, Hangala Properties (Pty) Ltd, Hangala Construction (Pty) Ltd and Hangala Capital (Pty) Ltd.
Speaking of the changes, Dr Hangala said: “I am happy to step back and hand-over the daily operating responsibilities to a young, diverse and dynamic management team ready to take the Group to the next level.
“This will also give me the freedom to focus on issues of the Group’s broader strategic direction with my fellow non-executive directors.
“Of course, it’s personally gratifying to see Pameni gaining the trust and confidence of the Board to be appointed as a Group CEO and I have no doubt, working both under the stewardship of our vastly experienced Group Board and in collaboration with his peers on the Group Exco that he will steer the Company to higher levels. I wish him all the best.”
Incoming Hangala Group Chairperson, Ms Hamunyela stated: “On behalf of all my colleagues on the Group Board of Directors as well as Management and staff, I would like to thank Dr Hangala for his unique visionary leadership and unrelenting efforts over the years, his wisdom in developing competent next generation leadership to take over the operating reins of the Group, and his agreement to continue being deployed as a strategic sounding board.
“Undoubtedly, the Group will benefit from his vast knowledge and extensive experience in business leadership.
“It will be an honour to assume the role of non-executive Group Chairperson and a privilege to work with the Group Exco members, each of whom share our common vision of being at the forefront of business excellence.”
Incoming Group CEO Pameni Hangala stated: “I am profoundly honoured and humbled to have been selected by the independent non-executive directors of the Group to take on the new responsibility of Group CEO.
“I will spare no effort to justify their confidence and, of course, will take comfort from the fact that I can still walk down the hall to my father’s office to tap into his wisdom and immense institutional memory.
“Knowing that he is always the first to arrive in the morning and last to depart in the evening is rather assuring as I will continue to have ease of access to him and readily benefit from his unparalleled expertise.”
In the photo: Dr Leake S Hangala, founder of Hangala Group of Companies.
