Climbing up the success ladder

Climbing up the success ladder The acting director of marketing and communications Johannes Haufiku talks about how his passionate nature helped him work his way up at the University of Namibia. “I love learning new things, finding challenging truths that unsettle my beliefs, thoughts and even dreams.” -Johannes Haufiku Desiree Gases

Haufiku was born and raised in Kuisebmond, Walvis Bay. He is now the acting director of communications and marketing at the University of Namibia.

He leads a team of talented creatives in the areas of marketing, public relations, visual design and stakeholder relationship building.

“I start most days with a morning meeting with at least one or more members of the Unam executive management team around 07:45. Then I proofread information that is outbound to the media or stakeholders such as government. Thereafter, I get a report from interns on what is trending on social media and see if action is required. I would then watch a bit of global news while skimming the local news and having some tea. I would then be able to check in with my team around 11:00, see what deadlines are around the corner. I always schedule my interviews with the media for noon. I do a lot of admin work in the afternoon. The day typically starts early and ends late.”

Haufiku speaks about his department’s biggest accomplishment, which has been helping Unam adapt to digital platforms for its corporate communication and marketing functions. He was appointed just before the emergence of Covid-19, so a lot of the challenges his team faced came in a form that was unexpected and disruptive, bringing changes to their processes. Convincing colleagues to explore new solutions to old and emerging problems was therefore the biggest challenge.

Haufiku says: “I love learning new things, finding challenging truths that unsettle my beliefs, thoughts and even dreams. That’s why working at a university is dream career because my mental faculties are constantly challenged.”

He plans to tick off a few more boxes at Unam, things he is passionate about and that he really wants students to experience when they come to the largest university in Namibia. Haufiku also plans on studying further in a different area, and venture into more challenging tasks, wherever they may be.

One of the best parts about Haufiku’s life was being raised by his grandmother with an iron fist. Even though he hated it at the time he now knows that love does not always need to be wrapped in a smile and hugs.

If he had the opportunity to change anything in the world, Haufiku says, “I would change the mind-set of Africans, so that they can stop seeing each other along tribal or national lines. I think this would allow them to work together and restore the dignity of the continent.”



1 PHOTO (CONTRIBUTED)

CAPTION: Acting director of marketing and communications at Unam.