Coca-Cola says Luis Felipe Avellar will assume the role of president for its Africa operating unit, effective September 1. He currently leads the company’s Mexico operations within the Latin America unit. Avellar succeeds Luisa Ortega, who will transition to her new role as president of Coca-Cola’s Europe operating unit. He will report directly to Henrique Braun, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Luis has had an outstanding career that includes extensive leadership across Latin America,” Braun said. “He also brings valuable experience from his previous tenure in Africa, and I’m excited to see him return to Johannesburg to help…
Author: Khusoko
Khusoko
Khusoko provides market insights into Africa's business investment as well as global trends that impact East African businesses.
The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) has named Carol Koech its new Vice President for Africa, effective August 1, 2025. Carol brings over two decades of leadership experience spanning energy transformation, sustainability, and regional private-sector growth. She previously served as Strategy Director for Sustainability and Thought Leadership at Schneider Electric, where she helped scale global energy access programs reaching over 50 million people. “Carol’s appointment marks a powerful step forward for GEAPP’s work in Africa,” said Woochong Um, CEO of GEAPP. “She brings a deep understanding of Africa’s energy landscape, a passion for equity and access, and…
Africa is a rich frontier of creative expression, brimming with innovative storytelling, fresh interpretations of timeless themes, and imaginative takes on universal human issues. Whether driven by necessity, shaped by inclination, or born of natural talent, Africans have long approached the world in uniquely original ways. Yet when it comes to converting these ideas into careers, businesses, and sustainable industries, much work remains. Africa’s creators have had limited access to global markets, and even when they break through, they rarely benefit fully or retain control over how their ideas evolve. Correcting this imbalance demands deliberate, strategic interventions. Encouragingly, several initiatives…
WPP-Scangroup has announced the departure of Chief Executive Officer Patricia Ithau, HSC, following the conclusion of her contract. Appointed in 2022, Patricia led the company through a period of strategic transformation, championing innovation, ethical leadership, and operational excellence. “Over her tenure, Patricia built an innovative, ethically grounded, and people-focused organisation with a strong foundation of governance, compliance, and controls,” the Board stated. “She championed the adoption of our generative AI platform, WPP Open, to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness. These reforms position us for sustained growth.” Patricia’s leadership legacy spans over three decades, with senior roles at Unilever, Diageo/East African…
Frankline Okata is Safaricom’s new Chief Enterprise Business Officer, following the departure of Cynthia Karuri-Kropac, who exited the role in early July after less than two years at the helm. The leadership change is part of a broader executive realignment under CEO Peter Ndegwa, as the telco intensifies its focus on enterprise and digital services to counter stagnating voice and SMS revenues. “Frankline brings a wealth of experience and a good understanding of our Enterprise business and operations,” said Ndegwa. “He joined Safaricom in 2006 as a Customer Care Representative and has grown through various roles, including leading our strategy…
The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) elected Paul Russo, CEO of KCB Group, as its new chairperson during its Annual General Meeting on Friday. Russo succeeds John Gachora, Managing Director of NCBA Group, who has served as chairperson since June 2021. Betty Korir, CEO of Credit Bank, was re-elected as vice chairperson, ensuring leadership continuity within the KBA. This leadership transition occurs amid heightened regulatory scrutiny from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The CBK has proposed a Risk-Based Credit Pricing Model, which would tie lending rates to the Central Bank Rate (CBR) plus a fixed premium, referred to as “K.”…