Thapelo Lippe, one of Botswana's most seasoned executives and former CEO of Orange Botswana and Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), has issued a clarion call for all Batswana to contribute towards changing the economic trajectory of the country.
In the 2000s, as the company's first Motswana CEO, Lippe spearheaded Orange Botswana towards a turnaround in fortunes, from insolvency to profitability, and also brought the fight to Mascom in the telco wars of that time.
He also led BTC to its highest revenues and profits since its inception in 1980, while also executing the company's privatisation strategy and restructuring the company towards a triple-play service provider.
Lippe has also held other executive roles, including as General Manager of Microsoft's Southern & East Africa operations as well as Managing Director of MRI Botswana. He has also sat on numerous boards, including Alexander Forbes, Hollard Insurance and Botswana Life.
In an interview with BW TechZone, Lippe shared that although the country has faced a dire economic situation over the last few years, it possesses the requisite intellectual and entrepreneurial talent to make a turnaround.
"We have a lot of brilliant people in this country who can contribute towards getting us out of the rut," said Lippe. "But every single one of us will have to play a part in ensuring that our country does not become another promising African story that did not live up to expectations."
Once considered an economic miracle in the 1980s and 1990s, as it transformed from one of the poorest countries in the world to a trailblazer even by global standards, Botswana's luck has seemingly run out in the last few years.
Declining diamond revenues and an undiversified economy have led to budget deficits, as ratings agencies such as Moody's and S&P Global Ratings downgraded the country's economic outlook to "negative", a first since independence.
In the extensive interview, Lippe chronicles his executive roles, how he managed to turn around the numerous entities, the challenges he faced and how he addressed them. He also comments on why an "all hands" approach is the best way to address Botswana's current challenges.
You can watch the whole conversation here: