Shikomba brings strong investment expertise to MVA Fund
Elina Shikomba stepped into her new role in May as manager of treasury and investments at the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund.
Shikomba holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) in investment management and a B.Com Honours in financial economics from the University of the Free State in South Africa. She is currently pursuing her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter, having successfully completed Levels 1 and 2.
Her professional career began with an internship at Capricorn Asset Management (CAM) during university holidays, which led to a full-time position as a pricing specialist.
She was promoted to institutional markets consultant in 2022 and to manager in 2023 before moving to GIPF as a listed portfolio analyst. She said the switch to GIPF was aimed at broadening her expertise in fund-of-fund management and gaining deeper exposure to public fund management.
Quality-driven work
In her current position at the MVA Fund, Shikomba’s responsibilities include managing the fund’s liquidity position, staying abreast of market conditions to ensure effective portfolio management and foreign exchange (FX) exposure hedging, and monitoring and evaluating the fund’s external mandates.
She describes her approach as a balanced blend of being results-driven, detail-oriented and adaptable, which she says has enabled her to consistently deliver quality outcomes under different work environments and time pressures.
Shikomba said she performs best when she has well-defined objectives, clear timelines and the necessary resources to execute effectively.
She highlighted collaboration, diverse perspectives and transparent communication as key factors that enable her to excel. Reflecting on her career, she expressed pride in her steady progression from pricing specialist to public fund manager as well as her ability to balance full-time work while completing CFA Levels 1 and 2.
Collaborative environment
During her first 30 days at the MVA Fund, Shikomba reviewed policies and procedures, attended induction sessions, familiarised herself with the fund’s culture and began building relationships with colleagues and stakeholders while getting up to speed with the investment portfolio.
She acknowledged initial hurdles but credited the collaborative environment for helping her transition effectively. She added that her position allows for a good work-life balance through proper planning and prioritisation.
Shikomba cited her analytical and investment expertise, particularly in monitoring mandates, evaluating fund performance and engaging with stakeholders such as colleagues, trustees, fund managers and consultants.
She admitted that her tendency to take on too many tasks at once has been a challenge but said she has learned to prioritise, delegate and rely on collaboration to maintain efficiency without compromising quality.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to contribute to the MVA Fund and to support its vision of becoming a global centre of excellence in providing a social safety net for its beneficiaries,” Shikomba said.
Shikomba holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) in investment management and a B.Com Honours in financial economics from the University of the Free State in South Africa. She is currently pursuing her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter, having successfully completed Levels 1 and 2.
Her professional career began with an internship at Capricorn Asset Management (CAM) during university holidays, which led to a full-time position as a pricing specialist.
She was promoted to institutional markets consultant in 2022 and to manager in 2023 before moving to GIPF as a listed portfolio analyst. She said the switch to GIPF was aimed at broadening her expertise in fund-of-fund management and gaining deeper exposure to public fund management.
Quality-driven work
In her current position at the MVA Fund, Shikomba’s responsibilities include managing the fund’s liquidity position, staying abreast of market conditions to ensure effective portfolio management and foreign exchange (FX) exposure hedging, and monitoring and evaluating the fund’s external mandates.
She describes her approach as a balanced blend of being results-driven, detail-oriented and adaptable, which she says has enabled her to consistently deliver quality outcomes under different work environments and time pressures.
Shikomba said she performs best when she has well-defined objectives, clear timelines and the necessary resources to execute effectively.
She highlighted collaboration, diverse perspectives and transparent communication as key factors that enable her to excel. Reflecting on her career, she expressed pride in her steady progression from pricing specialist to public fund manager as well as her ability to balance full-time work while completing CFA Levels 1 and 2.
Collaborative environment
During her first 30 days at the MVA Fund, Shikomba reviewed policies and procedures, attended induction sessions, familiarised herself with the fund’s culture and began building relationships with colleagues and stakeholders while getting up to speed with the investment portfolio.
She acknowledged initial hurdles but credited the collaborative environment for helping her transition effectively. She added that her position allows for a good work-life balance through proper planning and prioritisation.
Shikomba cited her analytical and investment expertise, particularly in monitoring mandates, evaluating fund performance and engaging with stakeholders such as colleagues, trustees, fund managers and consultants.
She admitted that her tendency to take on too many tasks at once has been a challenge but said she has learned to prioritise, delegate and rely on collaboration to maintain efficiency without compromising quality.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to contribute to the MVA Fund and to support its vision of becoming a global centre of excellence in providing a social safety net for its beneficiaries,” Shikomba said.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article