Lynette Armstrong

Lynette Armstrong is a Botswana accountant and corporate executive, who was appointed as the acting chief executive officer of Debswana Diamond Company Limited, the largest diamond-mining company in the world, by value. She was appointed to that position in August 2019. Before that, from December 2015 until August 2019, Armstrong was the chief financial officer (CFO) at the same company. She relinquished her CEO/managing director role on 1 June 2022 when Andrew Maatla Motsomi became the new substantive CEO. Armstrong resumed her role of CFO at Debswana.

Background and education Armstrong was born in Selebi-Phikwe, a copper and nickel mining town in the eastern part of the Central District of Botswana, circa 1974. Her father was a mine worker, at BCL Mine, in the town.

She attended a local primary school then proceeded to Maruapula High School, obtaining her high school diploma (A-Level Certificate) from there, at age 18. She was awarded a scholarship by the mine where her father worked, to go to the United Kingdom and specialise as an accountant. In 1997, she qualified as an Affiliate of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Career In 1998, Armstrong returned to Botswana and was given employment at BCL Mine, where her father was employed. She was posted in the cash office, where she “had to learn the basics of accounting”. In 2002, she was appointed chief mine accountant at BCL Mine.

Other roles

In addition to her responsibilities at Debswana, she serves as the chairperson of the Botswana Accountancy Oversight Authority, and is a member of the board of trustees for Debswana Pension Fund, the board of BoFiNet, and the Board of Morupule Coal Mine. She is also a member of Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Personal life Armstrong and her husband are the parents to two children.