meet mipa new boss

The Government of Malawi has appointed Mr. Clement Kumbemba (insert) as the new Acting General Manager for Malawi Investment Promotion Agency (MIPA) effective 1st April, 2011. This follows the retirement of Mr. James Kaphweleza Banda who held the post until March 2011.

Mr. Kumbemba, a former Consul General at the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa is not new to MIPA. He first joined MIPA right at the inception in 1993 as Personnel and Administration Officer before being promoted to the position of Assistant Manager, Management Services heading the Finance and Administration Department in April 1996.

In August, 1996, Mr. Kumbemba was awarded a two year scholarship by the Commonwealth Secretariat to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) at Africa University in Zimbabwe. In June, 1998 upon successful completion of post-graduate training, he re-joined the Agency and was transferred to Investment Promotion Department as Assistant Manager, Investment Promotion. On 1st May, 1999 he was promoted to the position of Investment Promotion Manager.

In December, 2000 he was seconded to the diplomatic service of the Malawi Government and was posted to the Malawi Consulate Office in Johannesburg as Commercial Attaché responsible for Investment and Trade Promotion in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Mauritius. In October, 2006, he was promoted to the position of Consul General heading the Malawi Consulate General in South Africa. The Malawi Consulate General, among other functions, is responsible for the promotion of investment, trade and tourism in South Africa and accredited member states. It also handles all consular and labour related matters for the estimated 4 million Malawians living in South Africa. Apart from that the Consulate General also handles all medical/health referrals of Malawian patients to South Africa, protocol and security matters.

After almost a decade serving in the diplomatic service, Mr. Kumbemba returned to Malawi in April 2010 and was de-seconded to MIPA. On 1st May, 2010, he was appointed Director for Investment Promotion and Investor Services heading the core department of MIPA.

Prior to joining MIPA, Mr Kumbemba worked as Assistant Auditor/Accountant for Deloitte and Touche (June, 1988 to December, 1990) and as Regional Personnel Officer (South) for Southern Bottlers Limited (January, 1990 to September, 1993). He holds a Bachelor’s of Arts (Public Administration) Degree obtained at Chancellor College in 1988 and a Master’s in Business Administration Degree obtained from Zimbabwe’s Africa University in 1996.

All members of staff would like to congratulate him on his new appointment.