Namibian Sun

Wetumwene Shikage

Ockert Jansen has been appointed as current executive for marketing, corporate communication and client management services at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA).

Jansen’s career started at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) in 2003, where he worked as a production assistant. He was then attached to the religious section after which he moved to the entertainment desk. Among others, the programmes he worked on included ‘Wizeni’, ‘Afro Connections’, ‘Tutaleni’ and ‘4Youth’.

After approximately three and a half years, he got an offer from a fairly new entrant into the broadcasting arena, One Africa Television (OATV). He was part of the team that launched the first free-to-air news bulletin called the News on One. While working at OATV, he produced the first national televised talent show, together with the then mobile operator Cell One, called ‘Cell One Road to Fame’.

His career trajectory includes: head of corporate communication and marketing until 2018; National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST); deputy director of public relations and engagement; serving in the office of the Judiciary and currently a marketing, corporate communication and client management services at BIPA for the past 9 months.

Responsibilities

Jansen’s responsibilities include giving strategic direction to the office of the chief executive officer and the BIPA Board on best strategies to ensure reputable image of the authority. Further, to ensure the successful execution of marketing strategies aligned to the strategic objectives of the Authority. The position further entails development of strategies to strengthen customer and stakeholder relations and engagement, thereby enhancing confidence in the Authority and successfully executing its mandate.

Jansen was motivated to apply for this position because BIPA is a fairly young public enterprise which is just getting out of its infancy stage.

“I believed that I would be able to drive the strategic focus of the entity by ensuring the brand is adequately positioned within the domestic and international markets. I was further motivated due to my interest in intellectual property right and the protection thereof,” he said.

Jansen says that the period spent with BIPA is still very short, but during this time his team was able to launch BIPA’s first ever above-the-line marketing campaign on business compliance called ‘Good Standing is Good Business’.

“I was also able to develop BIPA’s communication’s policy, the first for the institution, aimed at ensuring an open two-way symmetrical communication between the organisation and its internal and external stakeholders,” he said.

Jansen says that the most challenging part of his job is to ensure that BIPA is able to execute its mandate. In addition, it is more so important to enhance trust and confidence by the public in BIPA’s services. Success within his position is measured by the development of marketing and advertising campaigns that ultimately have a direct impact towards BIPA’s revenue growth.

Through consumer education initiatives, ensure that business owners become aware of their registration obligations and remain complaint to all statutory requirements. This can be measured through the level of compliance by businesses owners.

As newly appointed, Jansen aims to be instrumental in: ensuring to redefine the BIPA brand as credible, client focused, technology driven and economy conscious; enhance customer engagement with BIPA, thereby ensuring improved customer experience; improve communication between BIPA and its internal and external stakeholders by allowing for feedback from stakeholders.