Hansen heads CAN with incredible ardour

Iréne-Mari van der WaltSince joining the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) early in 2015, Rolf Hansen has led the team with insurmountable passion. Hansen joined CAN after spending his youth as a journalist at the Afrikaans daily newspaper, Republikein, and thereafter establishing and heading his own tourism business for a decade. “I felt I needed a break. I felt that something in who I was as a person was shifting. I needed to find something to would inspire and bring me joy,” he says. Hansen has no ill feeling toward his previous occupations. “Hospitality is in our blood. We are hosts. We like to wine and dine and entertain - that’s who my mother was,” he says. He is equally grateful for his experience as a journalist. “Journalism was a gateway to understanding communication and it taught me to listen. Journalism for me was a way to express my emotions and it taught me to never be afraid, because a good journalist marches on without fear,” he says. In December 2014, Hansen handed over Terra Africa to his mother with the intention of taking up tertiary education once again. In January the following year, Hansen saw the advertisement of his current job in the newspaper he had once worked for. “I thought I would see if it was for me,” he says, remembering the atypical hiring process. “Instead of doing an interview, we were asked to do a presentation. I decided to do a presentation on my turnaround strategy since this vacancy was only created due to the restructuring of the cancer association,” he says. Hansen took up office as the CEO of the Cancer Association of Namibia on 15 May 2015 and has since completed a master’s degree in cancer control and implementation. He says he now understands the unorthodox and gruelling process by which he was hired. “I understand why it was so hard to appoint a new CEO. The Cancer Association needed someone who would encompass all genres – they needed someone who was scientifically, socially and administratively strong,” he says. Despite some initial shortcomings, Hansen says he was able to live up to the requirements of his position due to his enormous curiosity. “I think I am curious enough to learn. I like sponging up as much information as possible. I am constantly reading, asking and googling for new information. I like to stay up to date with the newest information,” he says. Despite the strenuous requirements of his work, Hansen believes that the title as CEO is often overvalued. “I think the title is warped. There’s so much value attached to it but all we really need to do is effectively lead. Not manage or boss people, but truly lead. And sometimes we lead through mistakes and learning, that’s the only way we will improve,” he says.PHOTO CAPTION: Since 2015, Rolf Hansen has established himself as a fearless and empathetic leader. Photo contributed

Hansen heads CAN with incredible ardour

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