CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thomas Spannagl (Chairman)
Since June 2015 Mr. Thomas Spannagl has been Managing Director of the SCHWENK Building Materials Group, headquartered in Ulm, Germany. In this position he is responsible for the cement, aggregates, concrete and concrete pump businesses in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Namibia.
Between 2011 and 2015 Thomas held the position of Country CEO for Lafarge in Central Europe, which included five cement plants and the six markets of Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia in the form of a joint venture between Lafarge (70%) and Strabag (30%), having served as CEO for Lafarge Austria from 2008 to 2011.
From 2006 to 2008 Thomas was President and CEO of Systech Environmental Corporation, a wholly owned waste management subsidiary of Lafarge North America, located in Dayton, Ohio. Before that he spent two years working as Vice President of Resource Recovery of Lafarge Cement North America based in the headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. Before moving to the United States, he had served as Cement Plant Manager in Retznei, Austria.
His career at Lafarge began in 1997 in the Lafarge Perlmooser headquarters in Vienna, Austria, where he held the position of Supply Base Manager Central Europe.
Prior to joining Lafarge, Thomas worked for Philips Electronics for seven years. He is an Austrian citizen and a graduate of mechanical engineering of the University of Technology in Vienna, Austria. During college, he worked for BMW, where he also completed his thesis. Married and the father of two boys, Thomas and his wife live in Ulm, Germany.
Hans-Wilhelm Schütte (Managing Director)
Mr. Hans-Wilhelm Schütte is the Managing Director of Ohorongo Cement (Pty.) Ltd.
He is a Namibian citizen who returned from Central Europe to Namibia at the end of 2008. He has more than 25 years of experience in a financial environment and has a strong background in finance, sales and marketing activities. He joined the Schwenk Group in August 2008.
Before joining Ohorongo, Mr. Schütte held the position of Business Unit President at INBEV, one of the leading brewers in the world. During his time at INBEV, he liaised with a wide range of stakeholders – government, regulators, private shareholders, financial investors and audit committees.
Mr. Schütte’s 25 years of experience led him to South Africa, West Africa and West & Central Europe. His strategic experience in Central Europe included the implementation of a Route to Market Strategy and World Class Commercial program for the different countries.
He studied at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and holds a B.Comm degree (Cum Laude), B.Comm (Hons) Management degree and in May 1990, had a first time examination pass from the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants (C.I.M.A.). In 1990 he became an associate member of the Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA in London).
Stephan Pott (Chief Financial Officer)
Stephan Pott is Chief Financial Officer of the SCHWENK Building Materials Group in Ulm, Germany since July 2022. Further he is Member of the Advisory Board at Hüttensand Salzgitter GmbH & Co. KG and Lithonplus GmbH & Co. KG.
Between 2020 and 2022 Stephan was Chief Financial Officer of SCHWENK Northern Europe, headquartered in Riga, Latvia. Prior to joining SCHWENK, Stephan held different positions at Holcim, an
international Building Materials producer. From January 2019 to December 2019, he served as Head Global Financial Performance, Planning and Analysis in the headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Before that he was Director Global Business Projects & European Finance Transformation in Zurich/Zug, Switzerland.
Between 2013 and 2017 Stephan held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Holcim Germany located in Hamburg. Previously, he spent three years working as Regional Controller Western / Central Europe, Russia & Azerbaijan at Holcim in Zug, Switzerland. Before moving to Switzerland, Stephan spent many years in the United States. In May 2007 he was given his first Management position as Manager Financial Analysis and Planning at Holcim in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. His career began 2001 as
Financial Analyst, Financial Analysis Group at Holcim in Dundee, Michigan, USA.
Stephan studied at the University of Michigan in Dearborn and holds a BA Economics degree. Further, he is a graduate of the IMD Management & Leadership Program.
Pichard Aderam (Alternate Director)
Pichard Aderam is a seasoned investment and finance professional with a strong background in commercial banking, development finance, and the mining sector. Currently serving as a Senior Strategic Investment Analyst at the Development Bank of Namibia, he is responsible for sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities, overseeing equity portfolios, and structuring complex debt and equity transactions. His expertise extends to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and strategic investments in key sectors, including mining, energy, and infrastructure.
Prior to his current role, he was a Credit Manager at Standard Bank Namibia, specializing in corporate and investment banking with a focus on mining, energy, and infrastructure. His tenure saw him lead notable project finance transactions, including multi-billion-dollar syndicated loans and strategic financing for Namibia’s mining and renewable energy sectors. He has also been recognized for his role in structuring Namibia’s first project finance transaction in Standard Bank’s mining portfolio, earning a Deal of the Year award.
Pichard holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering and a Bachelor of Economics Honours from the Namibia University of Science and Technology. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance at the University of Namibia. Additionally, he has completed certifications in Financial Risk Management and Project Management, University of Namibia and Stellenbosch University respectively.
Heike Scholtz (Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer
As of April 2025, Heike Scholtz serves as the Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), where she is instrumental in shaping the bank’s strategic direction and fostering sustainable finance initiatives to drive Namibia’s economic growth.
Prior to her current role, Heike held several key positions within DBN, including Head of Business Development and Portfolio Manager. Her extensive experience encompasses roles such as Head of Research at IJG Securities, Investment Analyst at Allan Gray Namibia, Senior Financial Analyst at the Bank of Namibia, and Engineer at Namibia Water Corporation.
Heike’s academic credentials are robust, featuring a Master of Public Administration in Infrastructure Management and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Pretoria. She also holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from the same institution.
OWNERSHIP
Ohorongo Cement stands proudly as a registered Namibian company with an international footprint. Our roots firmly grounded in Namibia, we’re committed to enhancing our local ownership. Presently, our shares are held by esteemed entities like the Schwenk Group, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Development Bank of Namibia, and the Industrial Development Corporation.
