Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba | |
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![]() Masire-Mwamba in 2012 | |
3rd Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | |
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General | |
In office 2008–2014 | |
Personal details | |
Nationality | Botswana |
Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba is a Botswana administrator and an international civil servant, with over 30 years senior-level experience in the fields of business, development and multilateral diplomacy.[1] Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba was the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General from 2008 to 2014.[2]
Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba was born Gabaipone Masire in 1960, Kanye to parents - Ketumile Quett Joni and Gladys Olebile Masire and grew up in Gaborone where she started her schooling Thornhill Primary School.[3] The name Gabaipone was given to her in honor of her father's mother Gabaipone. With such a big name one usually adopts a substitute, Mmasekgoa; which for her, it ended up overshadowing her real name.[3]
She was then admitted to the University of London graduating with a Bachelor of Science electronics and physics major. In 1990 she obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Pittsburgh.[1] Masire-Mwamba holds a Bachelor of Law degree (LLB) and an Advanced Management Diploma from IESE Business School, Spain.[1] She is a certified executive coach and trainer, having established a private company offering soft skills training focusing on Leadership Accountability and Board Governance.[1]
Masire-Mwamba was the first Motswana Chief-Executive Officer at the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA), Botswana's national Investment Promotion Agency.[1][4]
In 2009, she has been recognised in the legal field by the Honourable Society of Middle Temple Inn awarding her Honorary Bencher.[4]
In November 2015, she came second to Patricia Scotland from Dominica in the voting to become Commonwealth Secretary-General, losing by 26 votes to 24.[5][6] She was awarded an International Women in Leadership by Dr. Long, at the London Political Summit in 2018[1] and has served as the President for Botswana Women in Business.[4]
Masire-Mwamba is married to Trevor Mwamba, formerly Bishop of Botswana and formerly Rector of Barking, East London.[7]
She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.[8]