CEO Today Africa Awards

29 CEO TODAY AFRICA AWARDS 2020 Botswana Lynette Armstrong MD of Debswana About Lynette Armstrong ​Lynette was appointed Debswana Acting Managing Directo in August 2019. She takes on her new role after being Chief Financial Officer for Debswana since December 2015. Lynette has extensive leardership, business and financial management experience in Botswana’s extractive industry, where she held various senior finance management positions at De Beers Prospecting, Debswana’s Orapa and Letlhakane Mines, Tati Nickel Mine, BCL Mine and at the Debswana Corporate Centre. Her experience includes providing financial strategic direction, ensuring adherence to best practice in corporate governance, business value management, long-term financial planning, financial captal management and statutory compliance. ​Lynette is a Chartered Accountant and has completed a number of strategic leadership courses, among them the Accelerated Development Programme (London Business School), Management Development Programme (Stellenbosch Business School) and Strategic Marketing Management (Wits University). Firm Profile Debswana is the largest private sector e​mployer in Botswana, with more than 4 000 staff members. These are mainly found on mining sites, along with just over 5,000 fixed-term contractors and a small staff complement at the Debswana Corporate Centre in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital. Diamond mining operations are located at Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa (OLDM) and Jwaneng. These four mines have contributed significantly to the economic growth of Botswana, as well as producing revenues responsible for lifting the country from one of Africa’s least developed to an international development success story. Botswana is now a middle- income country independent in means as well as name. Debswana also owns and operates the Morupule Coal Mine. Debswana is a key player in the national economy of Botswana. In 2014, diamond exports accounted for about half of government revenues and a third of GDP. As a major industrial player and contributor to the Botswana economy, Debswana subscribes to the philosophy that its entrepreneurial success should be underpinned by social and economic responsibility. The Company aspires to play an active role in the long term economic growth of the country. ​We contribute to local economic development through: Direct employment and the employmen​t of local contractors; Preferential procurement from local suppliers; and; Enterprise development and social investment. Managing a sustainable business means keeping the future in mind at all times. It is about improving our own performance while not losing sight of the needs of our stakeholders. Sustainability is about having an integrated business strategy. ​Our commitment to operating in a responsible and sustainable manner is at the heart of Debswana’s business strategy. We believe that this approach creates a competitive advantage for our company and social and economic value for Botswana. “The diamond mines were a Godsend, and rapidly transformed the economy, increasing the revenue of the country from less than P10 million a year at Independence to over a billion today.” The then Honourable Minister of Mineral Resources and Water Affairs, Mr A.M Mogwe, 1990. www.debswana.com

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