DT Correspondent
Harare: – Seasoned banker Benedict Chikwanha will retire as the chairman of NMBZ Holdings Limited with effect from the end of next month after having served 10 years on the board.
Chikwanha, who has served as NMBZ chairman for the past nine years, will be succeeded by ex-Delta chief executive officer Pearson Gowero, who will chair the group effective January next year.
In a notice announcing the board changes, the financial services giant advised that Govero would be deputised by the former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe (ICAZ) and ex-Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Limited finance director, Emilia Chisango.
“Pearson currently sits on the NMBZ Holdings Limited and NMB Bank Limited Board as an independent non-executive director and is a member of the ALCO and Finance Committee, Loans Review Committee, Human Capital, Remuneration and Nominations Committee and the Risk and Compliance Committee.
“Pearson is a seasoned business leader with extensive experience working in consumer-facing businesses. He is a holder of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe and a Masters in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa.
“He served for SAB Miller Africa as the country managing director for Zambia and Malawi from September 2006 to June 2011.
“He has held several leadership and management positions during his career at Delta Corporation Limited in marketing, sales and distribution and general management.
“He served as Chief Executive Officer of Delta Corporation Limited, (an associate of ABInBev) from June 2012 until his retirement in June 2021. He has sat on various boards of listed companies, subsidiaries and associates of the Delta Group,” reads part of the communique.
Gowero currently chairs the SeedCo Limited board and he is also a director of Zambeef Products PLC Zambia as well as Markbury Investments Private Limited.
His deputy Chisango, is the founder and current Group Chairperson of Hempac.
Chisango is also a member of the ALCO and Finance Committee and the Human Capital, Remuneration and Nominations Committee.
“Emilia is a chartered accountant with 28 years of working experience, 21 of which were with KPMG where she left at partner level.
“She spent a further six years working as the chief finance officer and finance director at Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Limited and Ecocash Holdings, respectively.
“On 1 March 2021, Emilia left Ecocash Holdings to concentrate on consolidating the Hempac Trading (Private) Limited operations.”
