Tom Alweendo and the cost of losing corporate talent to politics

Tom Alweendo’s career is a compelling case study in the intersection between corporate excellence and public service. A respected professional, economist and seasoned corporate leader, Tom Alweendo was called into government from the helm of central banking to serve in ministerial roles. Now, having concluded his political career, he returns to the private sector to lead Alvenco Advisory, bringing with him decades of institutional knowledge and a renewed focus on Namibia’s energy future.When Namibia's post-independence economic framework was being laid, few individuals stood out for their ability to blend technical know-how with ethical leadership like Alweendo. A quiet operator with an impressive corporate resume, Alweendo is best remembered as the Governor of the Bank of Namibia, a position he held for 13 years. However, in 2010, he was drawn into the political arena by then-President Hifikepunye Pohamba, a move that would define the second chapter of his public life and raise broader questions about whether seasoned corporate minds truly belong in politics.BlueprintAlweendo's career trajectory reads like a blueprint for responsible public service. From his early days as Financial Officer at Rössing Uranium (1985–1991) to his COO role at the National Housing Enterprise (1992), and later as Deputy Governor and then Governor of the Bank of Namibia (1993–2010), his contributions were institutional rather than personalistic. He was not flashy, but he was effective, something Namibia sorely needed then and even more so now.His tenure at the central bank was defined by stability, the establishment of credible monetary policies, and an unwavering stance on the independence of the bank, a value often difficult todefend in young democracies. But his departure in 2010 to lead the National Planning Commission, and later the Ministry of Mines and Energy, left a vacuum that is still felt today. Several ambitious reform projects stalled or faded after his exit, suggesting that some skill sets simply do not transfer easily or frequently in the Namibian context.After spearheading NDP4, which introduced the transformative vision of positioning Namibia as a regional logistics hub, his sudden move from the National Planning Commission (NPC) left that vision vulnerable. The lack of a clear succession plan or structured handover has left Namibia’s logistics hub vision adrift. In the absence of strong leadership and continuity, what was once a bold national ambition is steadily fading into irrelevance.Spanning presidenciesAlweendo’s role in government spanned the presidencies of Hifikepunye Pohamba and the late Hage Geingob. He served as Director General of the National Planning Commission (2010–2015) before being appointed Minister of Economic Planning and then Minister of Mines and Energy from February 2018 until March 2025.In each role, he brought a level oftechnocratic discipline that often clashed with political dynamics. His approach was not about populism or party loyalty but about building systems and improving institutional performance. He was not the loudest voice in the Cabinet, but often the most reasoned. That said, one must ask: Was Namibia better served by Tom Alweendo in political office, orwould the country have benefited more from his leadership in the corporate world?Namibia has no shortage of skilled technocrats, but it often lacks the institutions to utilise them effectively. Alweendo’s political career shows both the strengths and limitations of injecting corporate minds into political systems.Professionals like Alweendo are trained for results, structure, accountability, and performance measurement. Politics, however, demands compromise, ideological posturing, and coalition-building. The cost? People like Alweendo may end up frustrated, underutilised, or isolated.One cannot help but wonder what Namibia’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) would look like today had leaders like Alweendo remained in the corporate space. Imagine a team of individuals like John Smith (former CEO of TransNamib), Robert Kahimise, Sven Thieme, Dr Bernard Haufiku, David Nuyoma (former CEO of GIPF), Frans Doloma (former MD of Telecom Namibia), Dr Ester Kali, Prof. Tjama Tjivikua (founding vice-chancellor of NUST), Martha Murorua, Tim Ekandjo (MTC), Dr Eino Mvula, Conrad Dempsey, Mercia Geises, Prof Asa Romeo Asa, Dr John Steytler and Dr Andreas Mwoombola working collaboratively not as political appointees but as corporate reformers, consultants, or strategists.Elevating service deliveryThese are the types of professionals Namibia desperately needs to modernise its SOEs, elevate public service delivery, and align national institutions with international best practices. Their rare intellect and experience could better serve the nation if they operated through independent think tanks, consultancies, or public-private partnerships, not through political structures that often stifle innovation and demand blind loyalty.Luckily, Alweendo seems to be returning to his natural habitat. Just a few months after stepping down from public office in 2025, he launched Alvenco Advisory, a strategic consultancy aimed at guiding investment in Namibia’s burgeoning energy sector.With Namibia poised to become a major oil and gas producer by 2029, and with massive foreign interest in the Orange Basin, this move is both timely and essential. Alvenco offers strategic insight on policy, ESG compliance, and regulatory navigation areas, where few understand the playing field better than Tom Alweendo.Natural progressionIt is a natural progression. Instead of being bound by Cabinet decisions or political tides, Alweendo can now leverage his knowledge, networks, and insights to help Namibia grow in a sustainable, investor-friendly, and ethically sound manner. He can finally operate at the level and independence his skills demand. As Namibia seeks to build effective institutions and systems to support development, it must reconsider the way it deploys talent.Professionals like Tom Alweendo should not be absorbed into partisan roles that mute their strategic value. Instead, Namibia should encourage the formation of high-level consultancies that work alongside the state but remain autonomous in function and vision.Alweendo’s career has shown us that while political service is noble, it is not always the best use of corporate talent. The future lies in creating institutional partnerships between government and high-performing professionals, not in transforming professionals into politicians.Namibia would do well to learn from this. We wish Tom Alweendo and Alvenco Advisory every success. His story is far from over; he may yet contribute more to Namibia’s development outside politics than he ever could within it.*Hosea Shishiveni is a Namibian scholar and researcher and can be contacted at hoseasn8@gmail.com.**

Tom Alweendo and the cost of losing corporate talent to politics

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-31

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Tom Alweendo and the cost of losing corporate talent to politics

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-31

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