Kago Mmolawa, HR Executive for Botswana and Namibia at AECI Mining, was recently recognised as one of Botswana’s top 100 HR leaders in 2023 – an achievement she regards as one of her proudest career moments.
“The Top 100 HR Leaders initiative is inspired by Botswana’s Vision 2023, which has several pillars, including the human and social development pillar. To be identified as one of the citizens driving the pillar is quite a big moment,” she says. “Over the years, President Masisi has been making calls to the citizens to embrace a mind-shift if; as a country we are to be globally competitive. I am therefore proud and happy to be recognised as an anchor sponsor of this agenda through playing a critical role in developing the country’s human capital and influencing economic development through human resources practices.”
Mmolawa is a dynamic human capital (HC) professional with a string of accomplishments to her name, including being part of the 2023 Forbes under 30 Africa Summit Selection Committee, holding the position of youngest female board member and Chair of the HC Committee for a telecommunications regulatory body in Botswana, and being recognised as the top student in her graduating class in Innovation, Technology and Knowledge Management at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Working for AECI Mining has provided her the opportunity to share her skills beyond the borders of Botswana into Namibia and Ghana too.
She holds a Masters degree in Public Administration (Human Resources Management), a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Botswana, and an Advanced Diploma in Management Practices from GIBS and Henley Business School.
Outside of work, Mmolawa is kept busy by her three children – two boys and a baby girl – and enjoys travelling and being inspired by what she calls the “wonders of the world – how we are one, yet different”. She loves music and draws her strength from her faith.
While Mmolawa has made a name for herself working in HR, she came to the profession by accident. When she finished high school, she applied for Law, Social Work and Social Sciences at university and was admitted for a BA in Social Sciences. On graduating, she spotted an advert in the local newspaper for a government position for industrial relations officers.
“I applied and I was among 200+ applicants who were called for written interviews, with only 21 needed,” she recalls. “I am glad I didn’t get discouraged by the multitudes and had the patience to wait my turn to be interviewed, because before I knew it, I had secured my seat in a position that paved the way for my journey to where I am today. I’ve had the opportunity now to work, learn and hold leadership roles in different economic sectors, including FMCG, banking, telecommunications and now mining.”
Mmolawa has been with AECI Mining for six years, managing HC for Botswana and then expanding to Namibia too, as well as being involved with other strategic business projects at a group level.
“The business has provided me with a canvas to write my story and it continues to do so and I am grateful to the leadership of AECI Mining for trusting me with the vision,” she says.
Her role entails driving the people agenda in the business to ensure that everyone at AECI Mining is able to live the company’s ‘Better Mining’ value proposition. “Our commitment to responsible and sustainable mining is central to our purpose and strategic vision” she adds. Mmolawa contributes to the commitment by crafting a diverse and sustainable future talent pipeline for the company.
She enjoys using her voice to influence decisions that bring about growth, development and innovation, as well as bringing generations together in the workplace and positively affecting the livelihoods of communities in which AECI Mining operates.
Her advice to young HC professionals is, “Stay ahead, evolve and adapt. Dan Lok said it well – it’s no longer about the big fish eating the small fish; it’s the fast fish eating the slow fish. How proactive and responsive one is will determine their success. Young HR leaders should look for opportunities to prove themselves as business partners. They should seek to be seen as strategic thinkers and influencers who are able to execute bold ideas. We need to have a growth mindset. A silo mentality kills, and, as they say, we work and win in teams.”