Okavango Wilderness appoints Chief of Staff
Okavango Wilderness Safaris has appointed Dawson Kgosi Ramsden to the role of Chief of Staff, adding to the growing depth of local talent in the business’ senior cadre.
Ramsden returns home to the Wilderness team 21 years after he first engaged with the company at Jao and Jacana camps. He has a deep love for his homeland Botswana, the people and wilderness areas the country is blessed with.
According to a statement, Ramsden takes on this strategic role, bringing with him a wealth of conservation tourism and marketing experience extending to global markets, with over 11 years of experience at Botswana Tourism (BTO) and a keen appreciation for the intricacies of Botswana’s tourism offering. Ramsden was introduced to Wilderness in 2001 when he completed practical work at Jao. That same year, he was among the mentors and guides of the maiden Bana Ba Naga – Children in the Wilderness – programme, initiated at Jacana. He later took on roles at Chitabe and subsequently Chitabe Lediba as General Manager and Head Guide in 2005. Six years on, he joined Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) as a marketing executive in charge of all international marketing activities. He spent 11 years in this role, overseeing all marketing and selling Botswana as an ecotourism destination. During his time he travelled extensively across the globe to promote Botswana tourism, marketing to international trade, consumers and media, to expand their knowledge and entice them to Botswana.
Ramsden’s new role at Okavango Wilderness Safaris is working to support the internal stakeholder audience of the business collectively, some 800 employees working in Maun, and those in the business’ 22 operational camps as well as supporting business operations more widely. As part of Wilderness’ senior team, this includes such responsibilities as government liaison, local PR and media, and acting as a strategic advisor to the Managing Director and the Board of Directors.
Okavango Wilderness Safaris Managing Director, Kim Nixon said they are delighted to appoint Ramsden to this role, and to welcome him back to the Wilderness family. “We are not only confident about his experience and expertise in the conservation tourism space, but excited at the level of passion and authority he brings to the role. Dawson grew up in a family committed to conservation tourism, spending much of his professional life working to ensure his own positive footprint in this space.“
For his part, Ramsden highlighted that he will use his experience to positively impact the company in his new role. “I have now come full circle, and believe that I can use the experience I have gained to positively impact the company, and help achieve its goals, as well as grow and develop the human assets. This will make a real difference to the wilderness and communities that we help protect,” said Ramsden.
He holds a professional guiding licence, and a rifle proficiency and walking certificate, as well as a Level 1 FGASA guiding qualification. He also holds a Hospitality Management qualification from the Walter Sisulu University of Technology, and a degree in Tourism Development and Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.