Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, where Letshego Holdings Namibia has its home market. File photo. Photo: Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

NAMIBIA · BANKING

Letshego Holdings Namibia is preparing to recruit a new chief executive, because Ester Kali is expected to retire in August 2027. The company, which is listed on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX), the country’s stock market, said in a stock exchange notice this week that she is expected to stay to support the handover while the board recruits her successor.

For readers in the United States, this is a slow, planned handover at a lender that is far from Wall Street. It still matters for anyone who follows Namibia’s financial sector, because a chief executive of 12 years is leaving.

What the Board Announced

The board of Letshego Holdings Namibia, the listed holding company, said Kali is group chief executive of the holding company. It said she is expected to retire in August 2027.

The directors will run an orderly recruitment process to find her successor. They said the timing leaves room for an appointment and a proper handover.

Kali is expected to stay with Letshego Namibia until 31 December 2027, which leaves about four months after her expected retirement for the handover. The company has not said what role, if any, she will hold during that period.

Windhoek’s city centre, where Namibian banks and listed companies are based. File photo. Photo: elvirahattingh1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Who Is Ester Kali

Kali joined Letshego Namibia as chief executive in November 2014. She also led the licensing of Letshego Bank Namibia, the group’s bank in the country.

She has led the business for 12 years. Her successor will take over a company that reported a profit of more than N$500 million (about US$30 million) last year.

The Business Kali Leads

Letshego Namibia reported profit after tax of N$505.8 million (Namibian dollars, about US$31 million) for the year ended 31 December 2025. We use about N$16.6 per US dollar, the USD/ZAR close on 11 November 2026, to which the Namibian dollar is pegged one to one.

That profit is the clearest measure of the business Kali hands over. The board has not said how the change will affect earnings or the share price.

What It Means for You

If you invest through US funds, you are unlikely to hold Letshego shares directly, because the company trades in Namibia. The news matters as a sign that the lender is planning leadership change early, which usually lowers the risk of a rushed choice.

Travellers and expats in Namibia will see no change to accounts or branches. Kali is expected to stay until 31 December 2027.

What Is Not Known

The company has not said who will succeed Kali, or whether the board will look inside the group or outside it. It has also not given a date for naming a new chief executive.

The company did not say how the change fits into the wider group’s plans. The profit figure is the company’s own and has not been checked against the full annual report.

More: Namibia news in English, every day from The Rio Times. See also our report on Letshego selling five African units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Is Leaving Letshego Namibia?

Ester Kali, group chief executive of Letshego Holdings Namibia, is expected to retire in August 2027. She is expected to stay until 31 December 2027.

When Will Letshego Name a New CEO?

The board has not given a date. It said it will begin a recruitment process for her successor.

Is Letshego Namibia Listed in the United States?

No. Letshego Holdings Namibia is listed on the Namibia Securities Exchange, so US investors would need access to that market.

How Much Profit Did Letshego Namibia Make?

It reported profit after tax of N$505.8 million (about US$31 million) for 2025. That is the company’s own figure.

Sources: Letshego Holdings Namibia Limited, announcement on the succession of the chief executive (November 2026); Letshego, profile of Dr Ester Kali; Namibia Securities Exchange; USD/ZAR exchange rate (11 November 2026 close).

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error

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