FLYING NAMIBIAN FLAG
Ally Angula is targeting the sectors of the economy that sustain jobs
AQUESTION and answer session with Ally Angula, the joint founder and managing director of Leap Holdings Namibia. a member of the Wrorld Economic Forum’s (WEF) Forum of Young Global Leaders.
Not many entrepreneurs have attempted to make it big in farming and fashion: what is your driving force?
My driving force is to engage in sectors that create sustainable jobs. In fashion, we are involved in product design, development, production and manufacturing our own branded items that we retail through our own branded outlets.
In farming, we employ the same approach and are currently involved in the production of horticultural produce which we sell wholesale to retailers. We are, however, looking to processing our produce as the next natural step.
Both industries afford us the opportunity to take an unskilled labour force and, with basic training, convert them to a semi-skilled labour force making a meaningful contribution to the operations within a short period.
I am being very specific about what sectors of fashion we are targeting, focusing on a product that has a unique appeal and can be exported; with our horticultural produce, we specifically decided to focus on the two items that as a country we import the most of but where our climate makes it possible to grow, but also limiting our risk by irrigating our crops in semi- arid Namibia, hiring the best skills and driving that we have the good farming practices to have yields that are great and comparable to other commercial farming operations. And we are using developed countries’ yields as our measure.
Are you an Afri-optimist or an Afri-pessimist
An Afri-optimist for sure. I believe in this continent and what it has to offer to the world and its people.
What’s next for Ally Angula? Launching of three brands towards the end of this year; processing of our horticultural produce within the next year; listing of our company to raise capital to fund planned expansion into processing as well as the exporting of our branded apparel into eight selected cities on the continent. Continuing to drive decisions at national level that are in the best interest of my country (Namibia) at the various platforms that I am afforded to serve at.
What will you be doing in Cape Town for WEF Africa and what would you hope to achieve?
I will be attending sessions focusing on the industrialisation of the continent, innovation and the future of trade, as well as specific Young Global Leader (YGL) events. I hope to better understand the YGL com- munity so that I can craft my involvement better with respect to assessing where my skills can be best utilised. Also, to contribute by sharing my views as an entrepreneur involved in the manufactur- ing sector. I also look forward to meeting people from different countries from across the continent as I look at expanding our footprint through trade on the continent. This Leader Series conversation is brought to you in association with the World Economic Forum. Follow WEF Africa on Twitter: @AF15 and via Business Report’s Twitter feed: @busrep. Independent Media, publisher of Business Report, is a media partner for WEF Africa 2015 taking place in Cape Town on June 3-5.
I am being very specific about what sectors of fashion we are targeting, focusing on a product that has a unique appeal and can be exported.