Legal and Operational Status
The Community Conservation Fund of Namibia was registered on the 14th of July 2017 as a Non-Profit Association Incorporated under Section 21 of the Namibian Companies Act). It is governed by the Companies Act, and Articles of Association. It is further guided by by-laws, a strategy plan, internal manuals, and policies.
Membership and Governance
Founding Members:
Honourable Nandi-Ndaitwah – Deputy Prime Minister
Patron and Founding Member
Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is a seasoned diplomat who has been the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia since March 2015 to date. She is also the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. Among other positions, she served as the first Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs after independence, Director-General of the Department of Women Affairs in the Office of the President, Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and in 2008, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism. She holds a graduate degree in diplomatic studies and a post-graduate diploma in international relations.
Gideon Shilongo – Business and Tourism Sector
Founding Member
Gideon Shilongo is the Director for Group Corporate Relations for the Olthaver and List Group, one of the biggest conglomerates in Namibia. Previously he was the Manager for Corporate Affairs at Namibia Breweries. Gideon was the first Chief Executive Officer for the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) for five years during which time he helped set up NTB to stimulate tourism growth in the country as well as set up the regulatory framework for the tourism industry. He has experience working on Community Based Natural Resource Management Programmes during the formative years of CBNRM. Gideon serves on a variety of boards including Offshore Development Company, Namibia Competition Commission, Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Namibia Trade Forum as well as Wilderness Safaris.
Patricia Skyer – Environment and Development Sector
Founding Member
Patricia Skyer is an environment and development specialist who has worked within the community-based natural resource management sector for the past 20 years. Presently, she is the Institutional and Governance Advisor at WWF in Namibia. She also currently serves as Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, on the Board of Trustees of Meatco Foundation, and as representative for Africa on the WWF Core Coordination Group on Social Development and Conservation. She has been awarded the USAID Meritorious Honor Award, the Conde Nast Woman Conservationist of the Year Award, and the WWF Women and Conservation Award. She holds degrees in environmental management and development.
Margareth Chlothilda Vries – Tourism Sector
Founding Member
Margareth "Maggie" Vries is currently the Manager of Ongava Lodge. She was previously the manager of Darmaraland Camp, an award-winning upmarket camp run by Wilderness Safari Namibia. She brings extensive tourism experience and is a community member from one of the original community conservancies in Namibia. She was part of the Namibian delegation (headed by the Hon. Nandi-Ndaitwah) to Mexico when Namibia successfully bid to host the Adventure Tourism Summit.
Directors:
Steve Galloway – Retired from the Financial Sector
Founding Member and Board Director
Steve Galloway has 40 years working experience in exploration, mining, corporate and project finance, banking and investments. He has served on the boards of several financial and mining companies. He was the Chief Mineral Economist in the Ministry of Mines and Energy and was promoted to Undersecretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He also served as Executive Director of the Namibia Investment Centre for four years. He was the Managing Director of Ned-Capital Namibia for 10 years before moving to RMB Namibia as Managing Director from 2011 to 2016. Steve continues to serve on various boards and committees, including Chairman of Gondwana Collection, director of MTC, director of Namibian Institute of Corporate Governance, Executive Committee member of Namibian Chamber of Environment. He serves on the Public Private Partnership Committee and other national policy committees. He has BSc Hons in Geology and BCom Hon in Economics. Steve also currently serves as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CCFN.
Colgar Sikopo - Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism
Founding Member and Board Director
Colgar Sikopo is the Director of Wildlife Services and Park Management in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Colgar is a wildlife management specialist having worked for close to 20 years in wildlife and park management. He rose through the ranks from field staff to Director. As Director Colgar has been responsible in development of management plans for protected areas, infrastructure development and managing the interface between protected areas and communities living in and around protected areas. He has led the development of various pieces of legislation and policy including Parks and Neighbours Policy, Human Wildlife Conflict Policy and the Community Based Natural Resource Management Policy. Colgar has worked on proposals and mobilised funding from different donors including Global Environment Facility, KfW, European Union, and the Private Sector for wildlife and park management. Colgar currently serves as the Government’s selected representative on the Board of CCFN.
Current Board of Directors – Board Meetings and AGM:
Honourable Bernadette Maria Jagger
Hon. Bernadette Maria Jagger has been a long-standing member of the SWAPO Party and is currently an elected Member of Parliament for the National Assembly. She has held numerous positions in the Party, such as serving on the SWAPO Party Women’s Council for the past six years. In 2012, she was appointed as a Member of the SWAPO Party Central Committee, the highest decision-making structure between Congresses of the Party. Honorable Jagger was appointed by the Political Bureau of the SWAPO Party Central Committee as the Deputy Secretary for Economic Affairs in 2018. She is currently the Co-Chairperson of the Namibia Conservation Parliamentary Caucus, a body that aims to bring together Legislators in both Houses of Parliament on matters of national concern around conservation. She served as as Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism between February 2018 to February 2020. Before this she served as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development. She also served on the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, the Parliamentary Standing Committees for Public Accounts and Information, Communication Technology and Innovation. Before joining Parliament she served in various positions in the Ministry of Education, the latest position being a Deputy Director. She holds a Bachelor of Philosophy in Education (B.Phil. Ed) Degree from the University College of Marjons, Plymouth, UK. She is currently serving in the Namibian government as Deputy Minister of in the Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare responsible for the division of Poverty Eradication.
Hilma Weber
Hilma Weber was until a few years ago the Human Resource Manager of Gondwana Collection, considered one of the largest operators of tourist accommodations in Namibia. Previously, she served as General Manager for one of Gondwana’s larger lodges, the Etosha Safari Lodge. Ms. Weber was awarded the Employee Recognition Award by Gondwana for her exceptional commitment and dedication. In her final year with Gondwana, she served as an Executive board member. She holds a degree in tourism management. Hilma is the current Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CCFN.
Chris Weaver
Chris Weaver is a well-respected common property natural resources management specialist, with over 40 years of experience working with communities, in finding innovative ways of addressing common property management issues. In 1982 Chris moved to Africa where he worked with communities in Lesotho on rangeland, livestock, and agricultural practices. Since 1993 Chris has served as Chief of Party and Managing Director for the WWF Namibia Program. During this time, he has managed a number of large conservation initiatives such as the highly regarded USAID-funded Living In A Finite Environment (LIFE) Project from 1993 to 2008 and provided oversight to the WWF supported Consortium’s contract with the Millennium Challenge Account’s (MCA) Conservancy Development Support Services Project. During his career Chris has helped raise close to US$200 million in conservation related funding.
Ms. Elize Shakalela
Elize holds a Masters Degree in the Rule of Law for Development from the University of Chicago School of Law amongst other law qualifications. Over the years, she has gained extensive experience in the public Sector, coordinating and advising various donor funded projects serving in different capacities including Wildlife Crime Consultant, Environmental Consultant and Environmental Legal Officer and Legal Research on various national and International Initiatives She currently serves as Lecturer for Environmental Law for final year students, at the University of Namibia and also takes Criminal and Customary Law Lecturing duties for first years with various publications and contributions to current Environmental Legislation in Namibia.
Mr. Eino Emvula
Eino is the Managing Director of Ninety One Africa and Namibia. He started off his career as an analyst at Namibian Assets Management based at Coronation Fund Managers in Cape Town. He later joined Stanlib as a resources analyst for Africa and co-portfolio manager for Namibian portfolios. Eino joined Ninety One from Namibia Asset Management Ltd where he was the Chief Executive Officer with overall responsibility of managing the business, client management and engagements as well as portfolio management on selected portfolios. He holds a Master’s Degree in Financial Management from the University of Cape Town, a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning from University of the Free State and a Bachelor Degree of Commerce from University of Namibia. Eino has served as an external member of the Investment Committee of CCFN since 2018. He accepted appointment onto the full Board in June 2020.
Mr. Steve Galloway
(see profile under Founding members)
Mr. Colgar Sikopo
(see profile under Founding members)
Investment Committee Members – Investment Committee Meetings:
Ms. Namene Shejavali
Namene Shejavali-Lungu is a legal professional who practiced as an attorney at top law firms in both South Africa and Namibia. During her tenure in practice, she focused on a wide range of conventional corporate and commercial legal services and solutions. She joined the corporate ranks for the first time in 2019 as General Manager: Legal, Compliance and Company Secretary for a multinational fishing company. On 1 April 2021, she will enter the regulatory space at the Namibia Stock Exchange as Chief Regulatory Officer. Namene has demonstrable expertise in negotiating, drafting and reviewing corporate and commercial agreements, analysing and resolving legal problems, drafting legal opinions, advising on legal compliance, corporate governance and company secretarial matters and undertaking legal research. In addition to serving as a member of the Investment Committee of the CCFN, she is appointed as an independent member and chairperson of the Ashburton Investment Committee of the GIPF Infrastructure Mandate. Namene holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree and a Master of Laws Degree (Company Law, International Trade and Human Rights in the Marketplace) from the University of the Witwatersrand, which she obtained in 2003 and 2008 respectively.
Mr. Eino Emvula
(see profile under Current Board members)
Mr. Chris Weaver
(see profile under Current Board members)
Ms. Elize Shakalela
(see profile under Current Board members)
Mr. James Mnyupe
Since 2015, James Mnyupe has been the Managing Director of Allan Gray Namibia. He is responsible for running the business and has served institutional clients, local brokers, financial advisers and, on occasion, the financial services industry and the public sector. James brings to the table a wealth of industry experience and holds the Chartered Accountant (CA) (SA)(Nam), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. He is also a Harvard Kennedy Business School Graduate. In 2020 James was selected to be an Economic Advisor to the Namibian presidium and position he holds to date. He tendered his resignation from the Committee due to the national commitments but continues to be a voluntary advisor to the Committee when called upon as the Committee looks for a suitable replacement.
Previous Board Members:
Dr. Chris Brown - (currently an Advisor)
Chris Brown has over thirty-five years practical experience in environmental management and administration, community-based conservation, and biodiversity and protected areas. He is a former Executive Director of the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF), and prior to that was the founding Head of the Directorate of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Environment and Tourism, where he established a national portfolio of environmental programmes, including those on community-based natural resource management, biodiversity, combating desertification, environmental profiles, and park management planning. He has a PhD in Conservation Biology and has published more than 100 scientific papers and reports, including Namibia’s Green Plan. For 10 years he was the editor of Namibia’s scientific journal, Madoqua, and has recently helped establish the electronic Namibian Journal of Environment. He was a Director of the Namibian tourism company Gondwana Collection for 18 years where he headed the board committee on Parks and Environment, and is a Director of Bushskies, a company that provides aerial photographic survey services. He is a past President of the Environmental Assessment Professionals Association of Namibia and was appointed by the Ministry as a Member of the Namibian Sustainable Development Advisory Council, the Nature Conservation Advisory Board and the Solid Waste Advisory Panel. Dr Brown served as the Chairperson of the Board of CCFN from its formation until November 2019 after which he resigned as per the succession plan. He is currently the CEO of the Namibian Chamber of Environment, an umbrella support organisation for the environmental NGO sector in Namibia and continues to serve as an Advisor to the CCFN Board of Directors.
Mr. Tiaan Bazuin
Tiaan Bazuin is the Chief Executive Officer of Namibian Stock Exchange since 2013. He is an admitted Legal Practitioner in the High Court of Namibia and a business executive primarily focused on governance, regulatory and legal aspects in telecommunications, banking and capital markets and regulated exchanges. He has extensive experience in start-up business planning and execution as well as finance arrangement. Before joining Namibian Stock Exchange, he previously worked for a mobile telecommunications operator as Chief Legal Officer and before that he was the Senior Corporate Manager for Bank Windhoek. Tiaan currently also serves on the Risk and Audit Committee of the Law Society of Namibia and is a previous Chairman of the Namibia Employers Association. Tian was instrumental in registration of the CCFN in 2017 and in aligning the organisations’ internal structures and process with the Namibian Code of Corporate Governance. He resigned from the Board in 2019 in line with the Board Succession Plan.
Other Key People:
Richard Diggle (Advisor to the Board)
CCFN Staff:
Mr. Tapiwa AM Makiwa: Chief Executive Officer
Tapiwa is a Chartered Accountant (CA), affiliated with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia (ICAN). In addition to this professional qualification/accreditation, he also holds amongst others an Honours Degree in the Theory of Accounting and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting Sciences from the University of South Africa (UNISA). Having completed his accounting articles with KMPG Chartered Accountants and Auditors he has worked in the audit, mining, and hospitality, retail, and manufacturing sectors of business. Immediately prior to his current role as Chief Executive Officer of the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia, he served as Chief Finance and Business Development Officer for a local group of companies with interests in retail, hospitality, catering, and manufacturing. He has +/-17 years of progressive work experience in the financial field (audit, tax, accounting) and business and strategic management experience in the exploration, retail hospitality, and tourism sectors with both international and local companies, Tapiwa brings with him to the CCFN a wealth of business and financial knowledge suited to the operational and financial oversight of the Fund.
Ms. Selma Nangolo – Project Manager
Selma Tueumona Nangolo is currently the Project Manager at the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN). Prior to that, she carved out a progressive career in Development Finance; Community Based Tourism, and Natural Resource Management. She is a highly experienced Project and Grants Manager with more than 15 years of experience working in the field. She has worked with multi-faceted institutions including Governments, Non-Governmental Institutions, the Private sector, and international donor agencies (such as the Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). She serves as a member of the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) Board’s Review Committee, has served on the National World Heritage Committee, and was a Steering committee member of the CESP (Community Based Natural Resource Management Enterprise Support project) funded by the EU. She has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management specialising in Biodiversity Conservation and a Diploma in Commerce.
Mrs. Hilaria Sakaria – Finance and Procurement Officer
Hilaria is the Finance and Procurement Officer at CCFN. She holds a Masters in Development Finance and a Bachelors degree in Finance and Accounting. She has +/-10 years work experience in Accounting and Administration in state-owned, non-profit organisation and private-owned entities.
Urioukwao Matundu - Project Technical Assistant (POSCCN)
Urioukwao Matundu is currently the Project Technical Assistant under the Poverty Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia. Before he joined CCFN, he served as a Field Coordinator under the Protected Areas System Strengthening (PASS) Project for Etosha National Park, Waterberg Plateau Park and Kunene Region focusing on law enforcement, fire management, and automated park entry permits and revenue collection system. He was also a Landscape Conservation Specialist for Zambezi Region under the Namibia Protected Landscape Conservation Areas Initiative (Namplace) Project. Prior to that, he served as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Economics and Management Sciences at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Urioukwao has a Master of Arts degree specialising in Natural resource and Development Economics from Osmania University (India) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Economics from the University of Namibia.