Our Executive Management Team
Kennedy Hamutenya
Chief Executive OfficerClose
Kennedy Hamutenya - Chief Executive Officer
Kennedy was the lead negotiator during the creation of Namib Desert Diamonds and is the youngest person to ever hold the position of Director in post-independence Namibian Government. Before taking up the position of Chief Executive Officer at Namib Desert Diamonds in 2016, Kennedy held the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary/Diamond Commissioner at the Ministry of Mines & Energy. Buttressed by 25 years of experience in the Mines & Diamond Industries, Kennedy holds a treasure trove of knowledge and believes that Namibia’s highly sought after diamonds deserve a coveted spot on the world stage. He holds a BSc from the Golden Colorado School of Mines (USA) and is a qualified Engineer in Metallurigical & Materials. He has held numerous honorary positions such as Chairman of the Mineral Development Fund. An avid sports lover (especially football and American Football), Kennedy is also an advocate for youth and women empowerment and believes that empowered people empower a nation. “When a struggle matures the cowards become the heroes and the heroes become the cowards.” – Zimbabwean Proverb. This quote stands out for him that those who work hard are not always the ones to reap the fruits of their labour and thus encourages others to stand firm for what they believe in and have worked hard for.
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Lelly Usiku - GM - Sales and Marketing
Lelly was part of the panel tasked with the negotiation and creation of Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd and is currently the head of Sales & Marketing. Previously she served as the Deputy Director of Research at the Bank of Namibia, where she was in charge of the Macro Models and Financial Stability. She has over 15 years of experience in economic and market research & analysis and macroeconomics forecasting. She holds a Masters and an Honours degrees in Economics from the University of the Western Cape. She also completed a Senior Management Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch Business School and hold the Diamond Graduate Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). She enjoys keeping fit and believes that a healthy body sustains a healthy mind. She is a firm believer that reflective thinking is needed to take lessons from one’s experiences, thus John Maxwell’s quote “Experience is not the best teacher; EVALUATED experience is.” resonates the most with her approach to life.
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Irwin D Haihambo - GM - Human Resources and Administration
Irwin joined Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd as the head of Human Resources & Administration in 2017. Beforehand he held the position of Senior Manager: Staffing and Remuneration at the City of Windhoek. He holds close to 2 decades of experience in Human Capital, which include many professional attributes such as strategic planning, change management, staffing, remuneration & compensation and performance improvement. Irwin is a devoted family man who enjoys outdoor activities such as a mountain biking, camping and traveling. He holds a Bachelors of Commerce-Business Management and Industrial Psychology (University of Namibia) and a Post Graduate Diploma-International Management (University of London). Furthermore, he completed a Management Development Programme and Senior Management Programme, both from the University of Stellenbosch. “He who refuses to obey, cannot command.” – African Proverb. These powerful words resonate with his character, as he believes that people in position of leadership should learn to follow every so often.
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Sven von Blottnitz - GM: Finance
Sven joined Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd as General Manager: Finance in 2017. Previously, he held the position of Chief Financial Officer at the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF). He is a South African born German national holding a permanent residence and lives in Namibia since 1974. Sven’s experience in the Accounting sector spans over 25 years and encompasses a wide array of fields such as auditing, banking, accounting and treasury. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Science (Business Finance) (University of Cape Town) and a B. Compt (Hons) (UNISA). Sven is registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia, South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, Public Accountants and Auditors Board of Namibia and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Southern Africa. He serves as a trustee and board member on various boards such as the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board, where he is a board member. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys camping, going on safaris to observe wildlife and venturing off-the-beaten-tracks to explore nature at its best.
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Marvel Tjombonde - Company Secretary & Legal Advisor
Marvel joined Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd in 2017 and is currently the Company Secretary & Legal Advisor. Formerly, she held the position of Company Secretary at Old Mutual Namibia and Roads Authority. She is an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of Namibia, with experience spanning over a decade in Company Secretarial, Corporate Legal and Commercial Law. She holds a Baccalaureus Legum (LLB) (University of Pretoria) and completed the Senior Management Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. Marvel has an inquisitive spirit and enjoys travelling, interacting with young and ambitious individuals and visiting art and craft markets. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou. This quote reminds her to be kind and great towards the next person.
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Clarky McKay - GM: Security and Safety
Clarky joined Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd as head of Security & Information Technology in 2016. Previously, he held the position of Commanding Officer of the Diamond & Gold Branch, currently known as the Protected Resources Unit (PRU). His vast and extensive career spans over 3 decades in the Policing (Specialized Units) and Mining & Diamond industries. He initiated the first draft on the Diamond Act and later became a Director on the Diamond Board of Namibia representing the Namibian Police. Clarky also represented Namibia on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as the Diamond Expert (Investigations into Blood Diamonds). He has completed various courses in Drug and Diamond related crimes in Egypt, Germany, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Besides his unwavering dedication to his job, his second passion is farming & agriculture which he spends most of his spare time on. Clarky is happy how his life turned out and his choices are the best reflection of his happiness. The quote by Nelson Mandela, “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” reinforces his outlook on life.