No surprises in BFA job – new CEO
New Botswana Football Association (BFA) chief executive officer (CEO), Goabaone Taylor says what she has found at the association is “exactly what she expected”. Taylor was appointed earlier this month to succeed Mfolo Mfolo who left the association in December.
“I am excited to have joined the BFA. I like to take on challenging roles and the BFA represents just that. It is exactly what I expected because if you are to look at the milestones and strategies that the association had set itself, some they managed to achieve, some are still work in progress while others are yet to be executed. That helps to put together a plan, prioritise, gain approval and implement. And I am looking forward to that journey,” Taylor told Mmegi Sport.
She said in her first few months, she wants to ascertain the challenges and opportunities for the organisation. This week, the BFA indicated it will embark on a restructuring exercise, which results in redeployment or job losses.
“(The key issues are) to gather, analyse, plan,
prioritise, gain approval and then execute and review. Engagement with the team has been priority mainly to establish challenges, issues and opportunities. The induction programme facilitated by (Ashford) Mamelodi consulting has been helpful to get me up to speed with understanding the functioning of the FA, identifying key relationships and statutes that the FA abides by.”
Taylor said she has been impressed with the experience and expertise she has found at the association, but added there was need for the skills to align with best practice.
The CEO said she is not concerned about reports of politics which often dominate football.
“Not completely, the business of the FA is governed by FIFA and CAF statutes and as long as those are followed I am certain everything will be in top form,” she said, responding to a question on whether she was worried about the politicised environment.
Taylor said she has never been a person passionate about football, but is a keen social runner. “No, (I have never imagined myself at the helm of football), but I have always believed that I will excel in any commercially-driven environment. I am an avid social runner and I believe in health and fitness,” she said.
Taylor has been Econet Media country manager where she led the commercialisation of the Pay-TV and free-to-air content platforms, implementing go-to-market strategy, driving brand awareness, amongst others. She also worked in the wholesale business arm of BTC, spearheading business development efforts.