Republikein Newspaper

Having started at Bank Windhoek in 2006 as senior account executive, Lukas Nanyemba was driven by his passion for business over the years, leading him to his current position as the bank’s executive officer of corporate and institutional banking in Windhoek.

Lukas Nanyemba has been Bank Windhoek’s executive officer of corporate and institutional banking (CIB) since 2015, having served as the regional executive for corporate and executive banking since 2008.

Nanyemba works closely with the executive management team to implement and deliver the approved strategy of the bank. Having to lead and manage the CIB department puts Nanyemba in a position to ensure that personalised, strategic focus is given to businesses that are in their infant stage as well as pre-existing firms. He also ensures that intensive judgement is applied to the motivation and assessment of strategic and corporate deals.

He describes corporate and institutional banking as “a business model whose capabilities cut across customer segmentation, products and services and channels supported by an operating model with capabilities that are intertwined with strategy management, sales and service, operations and execution and the underlying business enablers.”

Nanyemba encounters businesses in the private and public sectors, as well as non-government organisations (NGOs).

He describes his greatest hindrance as the attempt to satisfy all stakeholders when seeking solutions that will fulfil a customer’s need or request. This is challenge because he needs to strike a balance between the expectations of the various stakeholders and the interests of the bank without compromising the interests of either party.

He describes himself as a collaborative individual leading a diverse team. Nanyemba emphasises that the collective achievements of the division are what he is most proud of.

“As a division, CIB has made great strides by delivering on its mandate, among others financing and facilitating various projects.”

According to him, this was achieved through an agile environment created by the current economic conditions which prompted innovation.

The executive officer says every day is unpredictable because business dynamics dictate his diary and whereabouts. “In most instances, my day is mostly influenced by the priorities that assist us to achieve our set objectives,” he says.

He describes his cellphone as his tool to stay connected and because he’s always on the move, it has become an integral part of his being. “I cannot do much without my mobile phone,” he admits.

A sports enthusiast, Nanyemba is very involved in Namibian sport codes, specifically soccer and netball.

Nanyemba serves on the executive management committee of Tigers Sport Club and also previously served on the management committee, now known as the executive committee, of the Namibian Premier League (NPL). He was also part of the team that drafted the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA’s) statutes and the NPL constitution.

Nanyemba grew up in Katutura in Windhoek, is married and has four children. The avid reader is currently reading ‘Getting Things Done’ by David Allen and ‘Exponential Organisations’ by Salim Ismail.



Caption: Lukas Nanyemba describes himself as a collaborative leader. Photo: contributed