Uumati making waves in the fishing sector

DR Martha Uumati re­cently took over the reins at Erongo Marine Enter­prises as its Managing Director taking charge of the company’s horse mackerel business while pro­viding strategic leadership so as to further develop and strengthen relationships within the fishing in­dustry. Uumati has over 15 years’ experience and expertise in Ma­rine Science and working offshore the Benguela. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology (Specialised in Fisheries Acoustics) from the University of St Andrews (Scotland), a Master of Philosophy in Fisheries Biology & Fisheries Management from University of Bergen (Norway), a Post-graduate Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from the Uni­versity of Namibia. Uumati was previously a Marine Biology lec­turer at the Namibia University of Science and Technology and also worked at the Benguela Current Commission (BCC), Institute of Marine Research (IMR, Norway), and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. Her passion in life is to empower, equip and trans­form lives thus addressing global and national issues which impact livelihoods is at the core of what she does. In an interview with Con­fidente recently, she talks about her journey in the fishing industry, her role at Erongo Marine and spend­ing quality time with family.
Give us a snapshot of who you are?
I am a God-fearing woman with a passion to empower, equip and transform lives through addressing global and national issues, which positively impact local communi­ties and alleviate poverty. I live by Gandhi’s quote “be the change you wish to see in the world”. Making a difference is at the core of all I do; I believe the little we all do, will eventually contribute to achieving a greater purpose. I am a mother of a 19-year-old beautiful daughter, Angy. I was in my first year at Uni­versity, only 20 then, when Angy was born and she has been the driv­ing force for my persistence and ap­petite to succeed in life.
Briefly tell us about your upbring­ing?
I grew up in a loving and supportive home environment and commu­nity. My father was the breadwin­ner and disciplinarian whilst my mother was the nurturer, perform­ing the minutiae of child rearing. Being one of five female siblings and with only one male sibling who followed nine years after me, my fa­ther literally treated me as his son until my brother’s arrival. My fa­ther is a firm believer in education and he worked hard to ensure that my mother and all his children got the best education he could afford. When I obtained my first degree, my mother was so inspired that she took on part time studies and com­pleted her Diploma and Honors Degree in Biomedical Technology with Cape Technikon. Whilst I was pursuing my PhD in Scotland, my paternal aunt, Dr Ernestine Uumati Monama, who was an academic at UNISA was determined to remain exemplary and to inspire me to fin­ish the PhD, she got her PhD at the age of 60.
Congratulations on your appoint­ment as Erongo Marine MD, how did that come about?
I was headhunted. At that point in time, I was enjoying every mo­ment of being a lecturer at NUST so I was hesitant to take on the op­portunity. I had just submitted my Master in Business Administration (MBA) application at NUST; the plan was to acquire a MBA before I even considered trading the class­room for the boardroom. I decided to give this opportunity a chance, given that I am trained in Fisher­ies Biology and Fisheries Manage­ment. I was concerned that I did not have ample experience as an entrepreneur or corporate profes­sional, however “entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art; it is a practice”. Like any other practice, entrepreneurship can be learned and the best way to learn is on-the-job. The idea of working for the leading African fishing company was appealing and I found myself in the office until late at night, re­searching and learning as much as I could on business management and corporate governance. I am now hooked on self-study and on­line resources have become valu­able to me. The company’s strategic core objectives and values spoke to me. As a scientist I was attracted to the strong focus on Responsible Fishing practices and the Ecosys­tem Approach to Fisheries imple­mented by the company.
What key areas will you concen­trate your energy on?
A born and bred Namibian, I am committed to a sustainable Namib­ian fishing sector and to the numer­ous communities that the industry supports. One of my primary roles is to provide strategic leadership that will further develop relation­ships within the fishing industry. In addition to ensuring profitability, implementing effective marketing strategies, and managing organi­sational effectiveness, I am respon­sible for stakeholder, compliance and risk and supply chain manage­ment throughout Erongo. An ex­citing initiative started by Erongo, which I intend to further drive and which I am particularly excited about is the Fish-4-Business ini­tiative, which supports small busi­ness entrepreneurship and skills development in rural Namibia. In 2016, Fish-4-Business launched six new shops and we intend to keep this momentum in 2017, allowing more shop owners in rural areas to grow their business and provide food security while simultaneously creating sustainable jobs within the community.
What is your general view of the country’s fishing sector, as well as challenges and opportunities fac­ing it?
The fisheries sector is one of the key contributors to the Namibian economy, second after mining in terms of exports. Namibia is re­spected for having one of the best fisheries management practices in the world, which has significantly improved over the years. There ex­ists an opportunity for further val­ue creation for the Namibian fish­ing industry by finding innovative solutions such as alternative uses of fish products.
How has working for various en­tities helped prepare you for the MD post?
The MFMR marine industry is male dominated – I worked offshore on vessels amongst men. I specialised in fisheries acoustics. For my Mas­ters and my PhD I was attached to the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen (Norway), which is also a male dominated environment. I never allowed my femininity to get in the way and there never a glass ceiling to be surmounted. In Nor­way, women are empowered so I got to see myself professionally as an equal, which is how I still see myself.
Having an understanding of fish­eries and its operations makes a difference. My experiences and technical expertise will increase the efficiencies of business. A PhD prepares you for anything – a PhD tests your character and persever­ance.
What advice do you have for those taking up careers in the fishing sector?
We all started somewhere – the great scientists or businesswoman you admire today, was once where you are now. Do not despise small beginnings. Do not wait for tomor­row to start being who you want to be, start now. If you humble your­self God shall lift you up. Honour your parents; your elders hold your blessings. Do not believe the stand­ards set by others, set your own standards. Learn from others expe­riences – get a mentor/role model.
Just what do you do for a little fun?
I enjoy spending time with fam­ily and friends especially with children. My time with children is always priceless; I usually forget about work when I start having fun with the kids. My friends keep me level headed. Whenever time avails, we get together to catch up and have some fun. Reading good, em­powering books on leadership – I hardly ever read novels. My morn­ing runs will surely count as fun.