Senior Manager: Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Oiva Angula, conducted an interview with outgoing Head of Marketing, Patricia Brigitte Hauuanga. Below is the interview in full:

My parting words

What attracted you to Telecom Namibia?

Looking from the outside, Telecom Namibia looks like a company with very good team players, development programmes for employees, and good values. I always saw pictures of happy people, competitions, achievements of different departments and teams as well as acknowledgement of personal happenings in the life of employees, like picture of graduations and weddings in the telescope. It looked like a company where everybody is part of this huge happy family. In addition to these, it was common knowledge that most managers leaving Telecom Namibia are highly sought after for executive positions, so I was looking forward to contribute and to be shaped professionally.

What is the one thing you enjoyed most about working at Telecom Namibia?

During my tenure of 13 years, I was responsible for the commercial department in many different capacities. Being in charge of marketing always provided an opportunity to excite customers about new products and offerings. It always excited me to promise customers miracles and to be able to deliver on that promise. After my initial appointment in 2000, I enjoyed it tremendously to deal with customer problems. It was always a challenge for me to turn an angry and disappointed customer into a happy one. I regarded every customer complain as a challenge as well as an opportunity to solve the problem and to promote Telecom Namibia. It was a good feeling to know that customers rely on you and even a better feeling to know that you had the authority to solve their problems.

During the time that I was responsible for the sales channels it gave me great pleasure to drive all the way to Aranos in the south or Oshakati in the north, to get to know the faces behind the names on Tocnet. It was good to chat to frontline staff, to hear what their challenges were, what they liked and disliked about their jobs and, more importantly, how I could contribute to make their environment more pleasant and conducive to deliver.

I enjoyed the customer presentations across the country and to be able to explain the complicated technology terms in layman’s language. I enjoyed the exposures through conferences and seminars. What I relished in most was the many wonderful new friendships that I established during my 13 years at Telecom Namibia.

What is the one thing you enjoy least about working at Telecom Namibia?

Way too many meetings! Something must be changed drastically in this regard. You lose touch with what is happening around you and it forces you to spend your evenings and weekends attending to emails, to avoid falling behind.

Besides, more needs to be done to overcome the silo mentalities and to create a truly caring, united Telecom Namibia family. This is a great company and has the potential to become even greater if departments can all pull in the same direction and stop the blaming culture.

How would you describe the work environment at Telecom Namibia?

The work environment in Telecom Namibia, I would say, is probably the same as in most companies of its size. Your attitude and approach to challenges will always determine your altitude. There will always be colleagues that will support you to do well and those that will make it a point to undermine your efforts and portray you in a bad light. The secret to me was always to take decisions that will make me sleep well at night - decisions that are in the best interest of Telecom Namibia as a company.

What are your goals professionally for the next 5 years?

I started an event management company some time ago and its performance totally exceeded my expectations. My positioning and marketing strategy worked so well that I had to double my resources within the first six months of operations. It is a good feeling to know that it is entirely up to myself on how big or how small I want to play in the market. I appointed a very competent manager to run the business and look forward to dedicate most of my time to my family. I am looking forward to spend quality time with my children, taking them for extra mural activities and have a few extramural activities myself. I am looking forward to be available whenever they need me and raise them with love and dedication to become responsible adults one day.

I love the prospect of being in charge of my own time. I do have other very exciting business aspirations lined up that I am looking forward to pursue, which are premature to reveal at this stage. My most important pre-occupation will be to improve the quality of my family life, my own well-being and doing the small things that really makes me happy.

What is your proudest moment so far while working at Telecom Namibia?

Too many to mention. Thirteen years was a long time with a lot of trails and jubilations. I am proud that I was appointed as General Manager Commercial at the age of 29 in one of the most well established and managed parastatals in the country. I am proud of all the products that were developed, priced and marketed and sold under my management. I am proud of all the awards that we won every year during shows and exhibitions throughout the country. I am proud that in spite of all the challenges, we could manage to grow revenue on an annual basis over all the years that I was in charge of commercial in different capacities between the disciplines of Marketing, Sales and Customer Care. The rebranding of Telecom Namibia eight years ago was another successful milestone.

What is the most exciting thing going on at Telecom Namibia right now?

The acquisition of Powercom t/a Leo is by far the most exiting pre-occupation at Telecom Namibia at the moment. The technical and commercial teams are working around the clock to ensure that the new acquisition will be a force to reckon with. In spite of the fact that our current mobile penetration rate is over 100%, I am confident that there is still a window of opportunity for a second credible, sustainable and fully Namibian owned mobile alternative. It is not going to be an easy ride, but I am confident that the projected future market share is realistic and achievable.

What is the most important thing you have gained or learned from working at TN?

I have definitely learned a lot of skills that I will be able to apply in so many different aspects of my life. I am equipped with all the skills to run a successful business, with a business plan, operational plan targets and PDRs. I have learned skills in planning, budgeting and people management as well.

Yes, I have learned that work is essential, but I have also learned that work is not everything. Being successful to me means being able to manage a healthy balance across all important aspects of your life and, most importantly, to be a happy and complete human being.

Any final thoughts you'd like to add?

I would like to thanks each and every colleague that I worked with and learned from and in particular my big bosses, starting from our Line Minister, Honourable Joel Kapaanda, that I had the opportunity to interact with when required, our Board of Directors, our Managing Director, my boss Mr Heiko Trost and the rest of EXCO, the Union Executive under the leadership of Mr Jacob Ramoswaane, the Commercial Executive Team, my own Management Team, my staff members in marketing as well as the many colleagues in all the different department that I worked with.

Telecom Namibia will remain a great company as long as you all pull in the same direction, support each other, celebrate the small successes and stay true to the vision, strategies and values of the company.

30 July 2013

Telecom Namibia today announced a three-year sponsorship of the Windhoek City Run to the tune of N$600 000, following the successful staging of the first edition last year.

In its second year running, the Telecom Namibia Windhoek City Run event takes place on Sunday, 18 August 2013. Organisers expect close on 700 people to take part in the 2013 event compared to the 500 participants last year.

The telecommunications giant is sponsoring the run as part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility and in support of the wider vision to improve health across the community by engaging more people with sport.

Oiva Angula, the company’s senior manager for corporate communications and public relations, expressed his excitement at securing the deal with organisers. “Telecom Namibia’s mission is not only about developing the country’s telecommunications infrastructure and providing services, it is also about delivering sustainable, long-term benefits for local communities, and there is no more meaningful event for this than the Windhoek City Run which mainly focuses on family and community health,” Angula said.

“Our company is an integral part of the Namibian society and frequently supports community events both big and small. In response to popular demand, we are again sponsoring the Windhoek City Run event to offer opportunities for both young and old to participate in healthy sporting activities while encouraging families to come along too and cheer on their favourite participators. This is going to be a fun Sunday for everyone, whether they take part themselves or simply soak up the atmosphere,” he added.

“Organising the capital city’s marathon requires the on-going commitment of sponsors and a wide range of volunteers. Without them the event simply would not happen. We are excited to have a strong national brand such as Telecom Namibia involved. The support they are providing and the added profile the event will gain will be invaluable,” said Johan van Niekerk, Chairperson of Windhoek Harriers.

The Telecom Namibia Windhoek City Run is arranged in partnership with Windhoek Harriers and OTB Sport in celebration of the City of Windhoek. The run routes have been designed so as to showcase the best the City has to offer, with the 21.1km and full marathon winding their way past the Old State House, Independence Memorial, Supreme Court, Parliament, Tintenpalast, Gibeon Meteorites, Hochland Trails, the Christus Kirche, Zoo Park and other interesting sites of Windhoek.

Participants have a choice between a 5km fun run/walk; 10km walk/run; 21.1km walk/run and a marathon. The races will start and finish at the Doc Jubber Hockey Fields in Olympia.

“We are putting in a huge effort for this event. To guide people through the city we are looking at placing around 50 Marshalls to make sure people do not run the wrong way. There will also be 7 water tables manned by Telecom Namibia staff. We suspect this may be one of the hardest city marathons in the world, as participants need to contend with the high altitude as well as a very hilly route,” Van Niekerk said.

Telecom Namibia has generously increased this year’s prize money to over N$37 000 in cash prizes. For complete breakdown of prize money, entries and other race details go to www.otbsport.com. Online entries closed on Wednesday 14 August. For further details contact Yvonne on 081 142 9966.

1 August 2013

TELECOM Namibia, which acquired second biggest mobile operator, Leo in November last year, for a paltry N$2 says the deal was a "handy gift" ahead of its 20 years anniversary.

Speaking ahead of the ICT summit, which the company will host next week, Oiva Angula Senior Manager of Corporate Communications and Public Relations said in an interview the price was justifiable given Leo's poor financial state at that time.

"I must say that the selling of Powercom t/a Leo was a handy gift which came as Telecom Namibia was celebrating 20 years of exemplary service to Namibia and its people. Telecom Namibia strategically decided to go GSM and the opportunity to buy up Powercom t/a Leo just came at the right time for Telecom Namibia," he said.

The acquisition made Leo a 100% Namibian company, owned by Telecom Namibia. "This is a very significant development for the cellular industry in Namibia. Moving forward we fully intend to ensure that we extend the Leo services to all Namibians in the shortest possible time. Secondly, the most important goal is to provide Namibians with fixed-mobile converged services, thereby providing value for money to customers," he said.

"The sale price was N$2. This was deemed a fair price given the state of Powercom."

With this development, all the major telecoms companies are now state owned but Angula does not see this as a problem. "Yes, the regulator Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and not the state approves tariff structures by all the operators in Namibia. Telecom Namibia/Powercom and MTC are established on commercial principles and are expected to enhance shareholder returns in their own way."

Asked whether MTC and Leo running on different technology systems, is this not a duplicate and waste of resources, Angula said where possible all backbone infrastructure will be made available to all operators.

"The technology differentiations are on the access networks which is standard practice. Yes we are making use of the NamPower overhead cables as part of our national express routes," he said.

"We have already begun to invest millions in the Leo network to provide greater coverage," Angula said.

Source: The Namibian