Africa: Diageo appoints EABL's Anne Michira to head new unit

East African Breweries marketing and innovations director Anne Joy Michira will head Diageo’s new regional unit, the South, West, and Central Africa, The Star reported on January 31.

This follows the latest executive changes that will see her operate from London in her new role at EABL's parent company Diageo.

In the new appointment, she will be the Marketing and Innovations Director for South, West, and Central Africa (SWC) at Diageo.

EABL has been a net exporter of talent within Diageo in recent years.

Michira will take up her new London-based role from April 1 and will report to John Musunga, a Kenyan, who was appointed to head the newly established SWC business unit in November 2023.

The business unit comprises two regions covering Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean and West and Central Africa, including businesses in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Seychelles, among others.

Michira has nearly 20 years of experience in a wide range of roles in trade and marketing in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

She joined EABL from British American Tobacco (BAT) in September 2015 as the Marketing Manager for Mainstream Spirits.

She then rose the ranks to Head of Spirits and then Head of Marketing, Beer for East Africa before her promotion to her current role in May 2022.

“She developed and executed Kenya's spirits portfolio strategy that has grown value share, with Kenya recording the fastest growth of Johnnie Walker globally in the last financial year,” said Musunga.

In her current role, she has led the development of an exciting range of ciders that are the foundation of vibrant flavoured offers that have given the company an exciting new dimension.

Kenya Breweries Limited Managing Director Mark Ocitti said:

“Anne Joy has been instrumental in growing and building some of our biggest brands in East Africa. Her work leading collaboration and partnership across East Africa has been phenomenal and we are sure she will take the same spirit to her new role.”

“We are happy that once more, one of us has been tapped to take on a bigger role. She stands on the shoulders of giants who have gone to build great careers, drive growth and make Kenya proud of her sons and daughters.”
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