The appointment is effective as of July 2. Lelly Usiku, currently the General Manager: Sales and Marketing, will take over from Kennedy Hamutenya, who served as the inaugural Chief Executive of NAMDIA from 01 July 2017 until 01 July.
Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd is a cutting edge diamond marketing and sales company, positioned to create a sustainable route to market and sell a portion of Namibia’s unique and highly sought-after diamonds. Established in 2016 by the Government of the Republic of Namibia, it trades as a private company, governed by the Companies Act, with limited liability.
NAMDIA was established as a result of the signing of a Sales and Marketing Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Namibia and the De Beers Group of Companies relating to Namdeb Holdings’ diamonds. In terms of this agreement, NAMDIA is to purchase (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia), a Purchase Entitlement consisting of 15% per annum of Namdeb’s total run-of-mine production. Its objective is to serve as a price discovery mechanism for the Namibian government by trading in rough diamonds on the global market and create a Namibian footprint in the downstream market.
NAMDIA leverages on the high quality and corresponding premium prizing of its Namibian diamonds and creates an iconic brand that positions Namibia diamonds as a niche product in the luxury brand segment, highly sought after by the world’s elite diamantaires and consumers.
Mining sector expert
Lelly Usiku is an economist and has over 15 years of experience in economic and market research & analysis and macroeconomics forecasting. She is skilled in finance and investments, central banking and corporate governance.
Lelly Usiku previously served as the deputy director of research at the Bank of Namibia, the central bank of Namibie, where she was in charge of the Macro Models and Financial Stability.
She holds a Masters and an Honours degree 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 holds the Diamond Graduate Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Lelly Usiku is the chairperson, Audit and Risk Management Committee at Epangelo Mining Company, a private company with the government of the Republic of Namibia as the sole Shareholder. She has served on the board of QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine as well as on the Advisory Board of the economics department at the Namibia university of science and technology.
Elsewhere, Lelly Usiku is a board member of NamibRre, a state-owned corporation which the mandate is to provide reinsurance services and to minimise the placement of insurance and reinsurance business outside the borders of Namibia.
