Francistown — The Botswana Export Development & Investment Authority (BEDIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, has been in office for only four months, but she is already on the roll.

The results-driven CEO talk to ZEPH KAJECU about her mission to make BEDIA a one-whistle-stop to lure foreign direct investment, promote sustainable economic diversification, increase export potential, penetrate new markets through international agreements such as AGOA and market Botswana as a brand.

How do you find BEDIA and how are you settling down four months after your appointment?

Barely four after my appointment, I find the posting to BEDIA exciting because I am one of those people who have a passion for building business around activities or products that I am familiar with. Secondly, being passionate about your product or service increases your ability and confidence to market it both at home and abroad. If you are involved in something that has meaning and purpose, you are far more likely to persevere, when other would give up. The posting has also been challenging. This is because you will be able to build your capacity, skills and expertise and understanding of the product or service you are marketing. In short link the potential business ideas to your passion for the most positive results since "where there is a will there is a way". As a results-driven person, I would like us to produce only the most marketable products in order to maximize on investment. I am upbeat with the promotion of anything to do with enhanced productivity because that is what investment entails.

What are the challenges that you will address as BEDIA Chief Executive Officer?

Just like any other business-oriented organization, the biggest challenge is to have the most favourable environment climate that will encourage coming up with a product marketable at home and abroad in line with our international counterparts. As we carry out on-the-market product reviews, we should think of the resources at our disposal that will give us a head start since effective entrepreneurship involves networking and thinking out alternatives when we encounter obstacles. The purpose of a business strategy is to create sustainable financial profits by satisfying market needs. The greater the market share, the greater the potential for financial profits. The business world we live in is highly competitive and only the well run organisations will survive and thrive. Clients expect better services and products and if they do not get them, they will find another supplier. The most daunting challenge is for business leaders to create sustainable strategies and increase market share with effective market research, differentiation and alignment from top to bottom.

What is your understanding of business and vision?

Understanding the business environment that one operates in, enables the creation of target specifics. Experience has shown that the best performing organisations differentiate themselves clearly because of their understanding of the market. Bu, you should always be able to differentiate between strategies that work and those that don't. I have learn that working on the higher end of the marketing and sales strategy only works when there is operational delivery on the ground. I am certain that what strategies will give BEDIA a cutting edge over other organisations intending to compete with us. Therefore, researching how best you can create a value-driven operational strategy is critical to the overall business strategy.

What does BEDIA need to perform better and attract more investors and export more goods?

BEDIA needs a conducive and enabling economic environment to not only attract foreign direct investment (FDI), retain them and encourage them to export more competitive products that suit international tastes. The development of an overall sustainable business strategy geared on export promotion will ensure that Botswana has export-readiness. The products should also conform to the buy-Botswana-concept as a way of branding. In the process BEDIA should identify potential suppliers and suitable markets for the products. Assess the export-oriented strategies, take the best and exploit them to produce the most profitable financial results. Know what your competitors are doing and not doing so as to learn from them. Understanding the needs of potential customer market enables you to understand their needs and what is easier to sell. If you are a market leader, don't get complacent because competitors will take your place at the top.

Botswana has several trade agreements such as the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) that offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies, build free markets and substantially expand preferential access for imports from beneficiary Sub-Saharan African countries. Botswana as one of the benefitting countries continues to take advantage of AGOA through the export of textiles and garment to the United States utilizing the duty and quota free access. Such trade agreements will enable BEDIA to explore other international markets as a way of expanding the export potential and sustainably diversify the economy.

Do the Investment Authority Act and government policies align?

The BEDIA Act and government policies align because the focus lies in outsourcing markets, coming with alternative investment options and sustainable diversification of the economy. If BEDIA is to retain its markets abroad, it has to deliver its products within the most possible shortest turnaround time. In this case BEDIA should be the country's preferred one-stop-shop because of its efficiency in delivery. It is also an advantage to find out how fast the customer base is growing and the key influences on their buying decisions. Speak to industry experts and other entrepreneurs to identify the critical success product lines that are marketable.

How do you see BEDIA towards 2016?

We have to tailor make our business strategies in line with the Vision 2016 goals of based on the four principles of Democracy, Self-reliance, Good Governance and Unity. To name a few the pillars : "An Innovative and Productive Nation" and "An Educated and Informed Nation", underscore our need to embark on the most business-oriented marketing strategies that will ensure that the country begins to benefit from sustainable economic diversification efforts from the traditional sectors mining, beef and diamonds. As an export oriented entity, BEDIA has to ensure that some of these benefits will include employment creation, poverty alleviation and improvements in living standards. As a person who is driven by a love and passion for the country, I am committed to see that the government of Botswana attains some of the proponents of this vision. What I have learnt over the years is that once you have delivered successfully on one tender, you have a foot in the door and more success will follow.