Board of Directors

Biography

Mr. Akoonyatse serves as the Board Chairperson. He is the founder and Managing Partner of Akoonyatse Law Firm, a private law office operating from Gaborone. As a legal practitioner, Joseph's interest is in the commercial law space, covering in particular industrial relations law; contract and commercial law; intellectual property law; debt collection law; and also, in the law of delict.

He has previously served on a number of capacities including as member of the Council of the Law Society of Botswana; law lecturer at the University of Botswana; member of the national Levy on Technical Devices Fund housed under CIPA; member of the University of Botswana Staff Disciplinary Committee; member and alternate chairperson of the Botswana Premier League Disciplinary Committee; Deputy Chairperson on the inaugural board of directors for the Institutes of Employment and Labor Studies and also sits as a Commissioner at Botswana Meat Commission (BMC).

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - University of Botswana (2005)
• Master of Laws (LLM) with specialization in commercial law - University of South Africa (2011)

Biography

Mr. Jim is a legally admitted Insurance Professional, Risk Manager, Fraud and Anti-Money Laundering Practitioner with precision and leader with an orientation.

Jim is a seasoned executive director who has been in the insurance industry for over 18 years. He started his career in insurance in 2005 at Maxsim Marketing as an Executive Sales Consultant before joining BDF where he left as a Credit Life Officer in 2010. Before being assigned to incorporate BLIC, he was in 2019 tasked as the Principal Officer of Babereki Insurance Brokers which he grew into a fully-fledged company and steered it towards its first profit making status through experience for business growth acceleration and innovation after many years of loss making.

Within 2 years from 2015 to 2017 he managed to increase BOPEU's membership from 27,000 to +35,000 and also enlisted for the first time ever the local government portfolios and parastatal bodies into the Union fold.

Qualifications

• Fellowship - Chartered Certified Insurance Professional
• Associateship in Insurance
• Associateship in Fraud Examination
• Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing Management
• Insurance Law Certification
• Anti Money Laundering Certification
• Retirement Funds Certification
• Post Graduate in Enterprise Risk Management
• Corporate Governance Certification
• OSINT within Fraud Investigations
• The impact of POPI Act on Forensic Investigators

Professional Memberships

• Associate - Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) - Texas, USA International Chapter
• Fellow - Chartered Certified Insurance Professionals™ (FCCIP) - USA
• Associate - Insurance Institute of South Africa (AIISA)

Biography

Mr. Otukile has served as the Chairperson and Director of Babereki Insurance Brokers (BIB) Board and has served since 2016 and has contributed immensely in providing a strategic direction to the Brokerage and to ensure that it delivers its mandate in a manner consistent with all regulatory requirements.

He is a highly experienced educator who has provided 32 years' continuous service both in the public service and in parastatal organizations.

As Board Chairman he brings a wealth of experience to Babereki Insurance that enables him to effectively execute his primary role of ensuring that the Board as a whole plays a full and constructive part in the development and determination of the Group's strategies and policies, and that Board decisions taken are in the BIB's best interests and fairly reflect Board's consensus.

Education & Qualifications

• BSc Degree in Agriculture Education - University of Swaziland
• Currently pursuing Master's Degree in Research and Evaluation - University of Botswana

Biography

Mr. Odirile Otto Itumeleng is a renowned Attorney at law, legal strategist, and academic with about 20 years of experience with expertise in corporate and commercial law, litigation, regulatory advisory, and International Trade Law. He is the Managing Partner of OTTO ITUMELENG Law Chambers in Gaborone, Botswana, where he leads a multidisciplinary legal practice advising corporate clients, financial institutions, public and private sector entities.

He has extensive litigation experience, having represented clients in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Industrial Court, and regulatory tribunals, including matters relating to competition law, telecommunications, and transport regulation. His work also includes alternative dispute resolution, where he provides arbitration, mediation, and negotiation services.

He has also served as a Law Lecturer for 7 years and Coordinator of the Legal Clinic at the University of Botswana, where he taught Clinical Legal Education and Employment Law, and led the Refugee Unit.

He serves as President of the Botswana Red Cross Society and has represented Botswana at global conferences hosted by organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and UNESCO.

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - University of Botswana
• Master of Laws (LLM) in International Trade Law - Stellenbosch University
• Certificate - Corporate Governance and Risk Management - Southwest Training Institute
• African Corporate Governance, Commercial Law Program - The International Senior Lawyers Project (USA) in conjunction with The Law Society of Botswana

Notable Recognition

• Shortlisted for appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Botswana
• Shortlisted for the SADC Administrative Tribunal

Biography

Ms. Masego Mogwera is the Former President of BOPEU and Board Chairperson of Babereki Investments which she has impressing record of turning it around into a profit making entity. She has held various positions within BOPEU leadership structure for the last 20 years. She has held various positions in the Union from shop steward rising through all ranks to the highest rank of Presidency.

She made history in the Labour Movement of Botswana by being the First woman to lead a Federation (2010-2015) and Trade union (2017 to date).

Promoted to Principal Technical Officer in 2012 and later in 2014 to Superintendent. She is currently the Sub District Animal Production Officer of Kweneng South and North sub districts.

Ms. Mogwera has also had a very enviable career in the civil service, rising from the position of Technical Assistant in 1994, she rose meticulously through the ranks until she was appointed the Chief Technical Officer in 2009, a position she occupied until she was promoted to her current position of Superintendent in October 2014.

Education & Qualifications

• Master of Public Administration - University of Botswana
• B.Com Degree in Human Resource Management & Industrial Relations - BOCODOL
• Corporate Governance for people in leadership position on King IV - Facilitated by Prof Mervin King
• Corporate Governance & Risk Management - Benchmarked on the operations of the Australia Public Service Commission

International Experience

• International Labor Conference - Geneva, Switzerland
• Collective Bargaining and Negotiations Skills
• Secretariat to establish the Public Service Bargaining Council
• Member of the International Credentials Committee at the Public Service International Congress - Durban, 2012

Biography

Vuyo Robert Mfazi is a seasoned Data and Digital Transformation leader with over 20 years of experience across academia, government, telecommunications, and consultancy in diverse service sectors.

He is widely recognised for his expertise in computing, process management, cyber forensics, and big data analytics-driven decision-making, enabling organisations to navigate complex transformation journeys.

He brings a unique combination of industrial relations insight, technical excellence, and experience across both public and private sectors, with a strong focus on digital transformation and organisational performance.

Education & Qualifications

• BSc Computer Science - University of Botswana
• MSc Big Data Analytics - University of the Witwatersrand