Simba director defends new CEO’s appointment
New Simba Sports Club Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez poses during a past club event. Photo | file
What you need to know:
- Barbara had previously worked for Deloitte Consulting Limited Tanzania, USAID, UNICEF, UN-HABITAT, UNODC, World Bank and Plan International
Dar es Salaam. Simba Board Director Asha Baraka had appealed to the club’s members and fans to give their support to new Chief Executive Officer, Barbara Gonzalez, ignoring criticism on her appointment.
Baraka’s reaction comes two days after Simba’s Board of Director Chairman, Mohammed ‘Mo’ Dewji, announce the appointment of Barbara to the post, replacing Senzo Mazingisa who left Simba to join Young Africans (Yanga). Speaking to The Citizen, Baraka said Barbara has lots of experience in management, having working for various highly-reputable institutions.
She said Barbara has worked with Deloitte Consulting Ltd Tanzania, USAID, UNICEF, UN-HABITAT, UNODC, the World Bank and Plan International. She also said that Simba plans to recruit a Sports Director who will work on the club’s football matters, while Barbara will work alongside with the Sports Director after completion of the club’s leadership transformation. Baraka further said that what is being posted in the social media against Barbara’s appointment is symbolic of the wrong belief that women cannot function effectively in top football post.
Barbara has superlative CV and other qualifications in business management, as well as in football after having working with Simba for not less than four years now.
She said that, so far, Barbara has done lots of highly commendable jobs that also contributed to the club’s transformation for the better.
“Even Senzo was working with Barbara on club matters. You cannot say that she is not experienced as, even on Simba Day this year, she was very much behind the Day’s success,” she said. Barabara is not the first woman to hold the highest post in football in the world.
“For instance, there are Marina Granovskia who led Chelsea; Donna Maria (Tottenham Hotspur); Prof Denise Barrett (Everton) and Anisha Muhoozi who led the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA),” she said.
“I believe those who are criticizing the club’s decision are not its well-wishers. Let us turn concentration to the just-started Mainland Tanzania Premier League. We also have the African Champions League which starts in November.
“Barbara must ignore the unwarranted criticism,” she stated.
