CEO Today Africa Awards

SOUTH AFRICA www.ceotodaymagazine.com 58 CEO Today Africa Awards 2017 ABOUT AUSTEN GIBSON MKANDAWIRE Austen Gibson Mkandawire was born on the 31st of March, 1963 at Zimuganthe village, Lundazi district of Eastern Province in Zambia. His parents are Gibson Moses Mkandawire and Esther Nkhonjera. His father is now 80 years old while his mother is now 72 years old. His early childhood was a typical middle class environment the 1960’s. His dad was self-employed and worked as radio and TV repair technician and his mom was a stay at home mother. He had a happy, normal childhood in a family of six(6) i.e. mother, father, two(2) brothers and one(1) sister. His dad married his step mom in 1972 when he was eight years old. His dad became a polygamist after he married his stepmom named Lilian Nyirongo while he was still married to his mother. Growing up in a polygamy home was difficult since his father had to support more people after his father married his step mother. He lived with his mom until he was 19 and at both his primary school education at Mphamba Primary School in Lundazi, Eastern Province of Zambia and his secondary school education at Nyimba Secondary school in Petauke district of Eastern province in Zambia. At Nyimba Secondary school he had begun to hang around with friends who were dedicated at school work which enabled to get good grade 12 (form 5 ) results i.e. 11 points in spite of having no English and Mathematics teachers. Upon completion of his form 5,he managed to get a government scholarship to study Hydraulic Engineering for a period of six(6) years at ISPJAE in Havana ,Cuba. During his first year at University of Havana, he did Spanish Language course and Advanced level education that prepared him for the Master’s degree course in Hydraulic Engineering at ISPJAE. What stands out themost about his time at ISPJAE, in Havana, Cuba are the extremes that he was subjected to. Some of his happiest memories and some of my worst memories come from his time at ISPJAE. One thing that he is sure of is that it shaped him to become the man that he is now. His study at ISPJAE straightened HIM out from his troubled teenage years. When he graduated at ISPJAE, he had learnt how to be independent, and being a problem solver without depending on anyone. After five months he graduated from ISPJAE with a Master’s degree in Hydraulic Engineering he was employed as a Water Engineer at Department of Water Affairs based in Lusaka Zambia. His orientation period as a Water Engineer went quickly and he was able to complete the orientation period without any AUSTEN GIBSON MKANDAWIRE AREAS OF EXPERTISE 1) Development of business Plans 2) Development of tender documents 3) Site Supervision 4) Project Planning & Execution 5) Cost Management 6) Modeling of water reticulation network 7) Modeling of sewer reticulation 8) River Intake and Headworks design and construction management 9) Borehole design and construction management 10) Dams design and construction management 11) Water pump station design and construction management 12) Sewage pump station design and construction management 13) Hydropower Development design and construction management 14) Water Treatment Plant design and construction management 15) Wastewater Treatment Plant design and construction management 16) Knowledge of contract technical specifications and their implementation.