LAST week, Nedbank Namibia held its Employee Top Achievers Awards 2021 ceremony at its new campus in Windhoek’s Central Business District (CBD).
At the annual award event, the bank recognised the high achievers, the go-getters, the self-starters, and the doers who excelled in their respective fields. During the evening, 16 different award categories were presented. The Top Sales Individual Award, Support/Service Team as well as Individual Awards, Top Teller Award, Best Teller Award, Best Performing Branch, and Top Project Team were among the honors bestowed.
This year, the bank was also awarded the Best Supporting Team during COVID-19.
Nedbank Namibia Managing Director Martha Murorua, at the event, described 2021 as an immensely challenging year that required focus, resilience, problem-solving, tenacity, and a resolute willingness to deliver against daunting timelines. But despite that, every award recipient has helped and played their part in navigating turbulent waters.
“We recognise the effort you have made in making us the go-to bank in the country,” she said. During her moving address, Murorua drew lessons from the 1960s space race, stating that dreams could come true through teamwork and having the necessary confidence, as did the NASA team who moved forward, relying on the technical competency of the workforce.
The Best Overall Teller Award went to Sade Jephthah from the Swakopmund Branch, whereas the Customer Service Champion Award went to Patronella Gideon and Simeon Sakaria scooped the Best Funeral Plan Sales Agent Award. In other categories, Bernadethe Haingura received the Best Nedloans Sales Agent Award, while the Leadership Award went to Lizette Kotze. The event also highlighted Nedbank Namibia’s top four overall achievers: Petronella Gideon, Allan Johnson, Manfred Mbunga, and Yolande Swart, for their outstanding contributions.
The PSD7 Project Team received the Overall Top Team Award, while the Living the Values Award went to Chief Risk Officer, Annette Stafford-Evans.
Victor Ashikoto, who joined the bank in 2020 as Chief Operating Officer, received the prestigious MD Individual Award.
Drawing on the analogy from NASA that people were as vital to the mission as the rocket engines themselves, Murorua echoed sentiments that Nedbank would not become the most admired financial services provider in Africa without the contributions of its people. She urged all in attendance “to push forward, and to push hard. But push as one team in 2022 to figuratively put a man on the moon. Let us imagine beyond what we think is possible. Let us go the distance to make the difference.
Inclosing, the Managing Director vowed that the Namibian leadership will hold themselves accountable to Nedbank’s “people promise” and will continue to seek and support driven and talented people who want to be the difference and make an impact in the world.
The prestigious ceremony was themed around “Let’s put a man on the moon.