BAT CEO’s Recovery Plan to Focus on Predictable Regulatory Environment

Crispin Achola, managing director Kenya and general manager East Africa markets at British American Tobacco says he will accelerate the transformation of the business and industry.

Achola in an op-ed marking 100 days since his appointment, he says despite a challenging outlook for businesses in East Africa due to the impact of covid-19, he would want to drive forward with the firm’s ambition to build a Better Tomorrow for their stakeholders.

“Key to this is a sustainable regulatory and fiscal environment in Kenya and across our East African Markets, which will not only safeguard legitimate business in our industry, but also support economic recovery by ensuring predictable excise tax revenues for Government,” he notes.

“In addition, I want to put renewed emphasis on stomping out the illegal tobacco trade which is significant in our Kenyan and Ugandan markets. Not only will this help to recoup billions of shillings in lost Government revenues (approximate annual excise tax losses of KSh 4 billion and Ushs 30 billion), it will also help to safeguard the livelihoods of our tobacco farmers and traders.”

In 2020, BAT Kenya posted a 41 per cent growth in profit to Ksh.5.5 billion from Ksh.3.9 billion in 2019.