The Nation’s leading financial services provider, the Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) Group is celebrating 45 years of engineering legacies. The Group, which has come a long way since selling its very first life policy in 1977, has achieved market-leading growth over the years, offering a diverse range of financial solutions through its 3 key Subsidiaries: Botswana Life Insurance Limited, Botswana Insurance Fund Management Limited (Bifm) and Botswana Insurance Company (BIC).
The BIHL Group Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Lesetedi, said: “Our 45th anniversary is an incredible milestone for us and we are incredibly excited. This momentous achievement is demonstrative of our heritage as the Group, our Subsidiaries and Associates as well as our legacy of excellence over the years. We are honoured and proud to have such talented employees who have served the company with unwavering dedication as well as the partnerships we have established with various organisations throughout our history. Although our sapphire jubilee unfolds against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic with heightened uncertainty in the market and the global community at large, this period has made our responsibility and importance as the Nation’s leading financial services provider even clearer. Our services are essential to people’s lives and it is during times like these that our purpose matters a lot to the people and communities we serve. As the Group, were main committed to supporting the people of this Nation and weathering every season together in solidarity.”
Over the years, the Group has built a tradition of excellence with each of the Subsidiaries succeeding as leaders in their own markets. Leveraging its Strength in Numbers, the Group has grown to expand its footprint across the Southern African region through its Subsidiaries and Associate companies: Letshego Holdings Limited, Funeral Services Group (FSG) and Nico Holdings Limited.
Said the Group CEO, “We firmly believe in our Strength in Numbers. Where we all deliver on excellence, the mark is greater, and the impact bigger as we have witnessed over the years. As we add another year to our rich heritage, we believe that there has never been a more fitting time to tell the story of the bull. Every bull was once a calf and this year’s 45th anniversary will be anchored on reflecting on our journey from where we started, what we have achieved, and what our plans are for the future. Our success is a result of the people of Botswana who believed in us and supported the success of the business over the past years and we hope to celebrate this momentous occasion together.”
Established in 1975, the BIHL Group is one of the largest companies listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange. Currently headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana, the Group has over 400 staff, 800 financial advisors and 9 branches Nationwide. The organisation has been a major key player in the local private sector and a major contributor to the local economy. Through its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) arm, the BIHL Trust, the Group has remained dedicated in its efforts to make a meaningful impact in the communities in which it operates through the empowerment and support of various initiatives, projects and contributions over the years.
The Group CEO said: “As our current reality stands, COVID-19 has caused so much uncertainty in the world with the loss of many lives and businesses facing great difficulties during this time. Reaching this milestone given the circumstances, is a true testament of our resilience and robustness as a business. More importantly, this has also demonstrated the belief and support of the people who have entrusted us with their legacies, which makes us all the more appreciative. Throughout our history, we have seen and mastered many challenging moments and we are convinced that we will overcome this pandemic too .Despite the challenges the world has imposed upon us, nothing can keep our hearts apart. Nothing can break our spirit, just as nothing has for decades yet. We are united in heart and harmony, in passion and resilience. We are, in every way, 45 years stronger together!”
The Group reaffirmed its commitment to delivering sustainable growth and profitability for all of its stakeholders as well as to continuing its legacy of excellence in service for the people of Botswana and the Nation as a whole. Concluded Lesetedi, “Our success as the BIHL Group is no flash in the pan. We have been serving generations of Batswana and engineering the legacies of our people for 45 years and we will continue to be a trusted partner for the people of Botswana in the future. Our journey to serve as the Group is only beginning – for excellence is not a destination it is a continuous journey that never ends. Thus, we owe it to ourselves and to our posterity to keep on excelling, delivering shared value for all our stakeholders and continuing the African story of success.”