The Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Leene Nage as its new Director of Business Development, in a strategic move to strengthen the Institute’s commercialisation drive, expand industry partnerships and accelerate the translation of research and innovation into market-ready solutions.
Ms Nage brings extensive experience in strategic business development, commercial growth, partnership development and executive leadership, with a distinguished career spanning multinational pharmaceutical companies across Africa and the Middle East. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong capacity to drive business expansion, establish strategic alliances with key industry players and supranational organisations, expand access to essential medicines, and unlock sustainable commercial opportunities.
Prior to joining BITRI, she served at the Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), where she provided strategic and institutional leadership, championing high-impact partnerships, advancing research into critical industry challenges and establishing thought leadership platforms that brought together public and private sector stakeholders to address governance, compliance and broader industry development. Her contributions strengthened institutional collaboration, professional development and stakeholder engagement.
Ms Nage holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Botswana, a Master of Science in Strategic Management from the University of Derby, and a professional certification in Business Analytics from the University of Cape Town.
Her appointment comes at a significant stage in BITRI’s institutional development as the Institute advances the implementation of its 2026–2031 five-year strategic plan. The strategy places considerable emphasis on translating research and innovation into commercial opportunities, strengthening industry collaboration and positioning technology-driven innovation as a catalyst for Botswana’s economic diversification and sustainable development.
In her new capacity, Ms Nage will provide strategic direction for the Institute’s business development agenda, focusing on cultivating high-value partnerships, identifying emerging markets and commercial opportunities, accelerating the commercialisation of research outputs and developing sustainable revenue streams. Her cross-sector experience and commercial expertise are expected to strengthen BITRI’s engagement with industry while creating pathways for research-driven innovations to achieve greater market adoption and economic impact.
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Commenting on the appointment, BITRI stated:
“The appointment of Leene Nage represents an important step in strengthening BITRI’s capacity to translate research, technology and innovation into tangible commercial and economic value. As we advance our 2026–2031 strategic priorities, our focus remains on building stronger industry partnerships, unlocking new market opportunities and ensuring that the outcomes of our research deliver practical solutions to the needs of businesses, industries and society.
“We are confident that her extensive experience in business development, strategic partnerships and institutional leadership will provide the commercial vision and strategic direction required to advance this ambition. We welcome her to BITRI and look forward to the contributions her leadership will make towards strengthening our innovation ecosystem and supporting Botswana’s economic diversification agenda.”
Through this appointment, BITRI reinforces its commitment to bridging the gap between research, innovation and commercial application. By strengthening its business development capacity, the Institute aims to expand the pathways through which locally developed technologies and research outputs can become market-ready solutions, viable enterprises and drivers of industrial competitiveness.
