Ms Bogolo J Kenewendo, an African Economist and former Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry in Botswana, is our Woman Crush Wednesday. She is currently the Managing Director of Kenewendo Advisory and a Non-Resident Fellow with the Center for Global Development specialising in sustainable economic development; trade, investment and industrialization policies; digitalization; private sector development and regulatory reform.
Bogolo is a versatile business entrepreneur whose impact has been felt in all corners. She is a member of the United Nations Secretary-General (UN SG) António Guterres’ High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation and the Group on Financing for Development; as well as a member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council for Global Public Goods in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In addition, she is a WEF Young Global Leader, member of the African Leadership Academy for Governance Board of Advisors, and an Independent Non-Executive Director of RDC Properties and Bank Gaborone.
This multitalented and hardworking lady serves as the co-founder of Molaya Kgosi Trust. After launching her career in Botswana, Bogolo got actively involved in advocacy on socioeconomic issues (poverty and inequalities, youth and women participation in the labour market) and private sector development. She is also a frequent economic and development commentator for various media houses locally and internationally.
During her tenure as Minister, Bogolo introduced some policy changes and business reforms aimed at easing doing business and stimulating investments and exports. The reforms included: an online business registration system, digital economy strategy, supplier development programme for SMEs and protection of local businesses, a listing of local goods with retailers, amendments to the trade and industrial acts, amongst others.
Her other accomplishments include chairing several trade agreement negotiations including the post-Brexit agreement with the UK, chairing on behalf of Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Mozambique; the Joint Council Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, and the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement on behalf of SACU. Being a passionate social cause advocate, Bogolo moved motions towards the protection of children’s rights specifically with regard to issues of sexual consent and child imprisonment. In parliament, she set herself apart with her emphasis on inclusivity in development, and ensuring services reach the people in a timely manner as their share of the national cake. Her driving force is founded on the SDG message of “Leave no one behind”.
A Chevening scholar with an MSc in International Economics from the University of Sussex (UK), Bogolo has received many accolades for her work as an economist and gender & youth activist. She was named one of the top eight remarkable young leaders around the world by Vogue UK 2020; Top 100 Most Influential Africans by various publications in 2018 and 2019; Young people changing governments (A Political and Foreign Policy) 2019; and one of Chevening’s 35 Global Change Makers. She was one of the first Botswana youth representatives to the United Nations General Assembly.
Bogolo is also a beneficiary and alumni of the US President’s Young African
Leaders Initiative for young women. In 2012, she was honored with the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) award by JCI Botswana and was honored with a 2016 Botswana Change Makers Award in Business and Leadership as well as a 2016 Formidable Woman award. That same year she was honoured through the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office International Leaders Programme, to mention a few.
Seeing Bogolo take giant strides to become a force to reckon with in this age is a big motivating factor to every woman. We love how she is transforming the world with advocacy and using visibility and influence to be unforgettable. We would keep rooting for this amazon.