Diageo Africa has strategically appointed John Musunga, a distinguished Kenyan business executive, to lead the emerging South, West, and Central Africa (SWC) market. This decision follows his successful one-year tenure as the CEO of Diageo’s Nigerian subsidiary, Guinness Nigeria.

Diageo Africa is undergoing a restructuring that establishes three distinct markets: EABL, Guinness Nigeria, and the innovative SWC hub. John Musunga, currently serving as a non-executive Director at East African Breweries Limited (EABL), positions himself to take on the role of Managing Director for the SWC market, based in London.

In March 2021, Mr. Musunga commenced his journey with Diageo by assuming leadership at Kenya Breweries Limited (KB), succeeding Jane Karuku, who had been promoted to the role of Group Managing Director at EABL. Later that year, in November, recognizing his exceptional leadership acumen, he transitioned into the esteemed position of CEO for Guinness Nigeria Plc.

Mr. Dayalan Nayager, President and Chief Commercial Officer for Africa at Diageo, confidently praised Musunga’s extensive two-decade leadership experience across the African region. He outlined plans to extend into a new SWC market that will cover Southern Africa, the Indian Ocean territories, and West and Central Africa, including countries such as Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Seychelles.

“As we prepare to launch into the untapped market of South, West, and Central Africa, I am pleased to announce an appointment: John Musunga, currently serving as CEO & MD for Guinness Nigeria, will assume the role of inaugural Managing Director. His term begins on January 1st, 2024,” commented Mr. Nayager in response to the recent appointment.

Anticipating Musunga’s transition, the Board of Guinness Nigeria PLC appointed Mr. Adebayo Alli (Bayo) as their incoming Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer; his tenure will commence on 1st January 2024. Musunga conveyed enthusiasm towards his impending position, underscoring confidence in Bayo, the current leader of Guinness Nigeria’s executive management team, to proficiently guide him into this new role with assurance.

John Musunga takes the lead in a pivotal leadership transition, signifying an important advancement of Diageo’s strategic vision for its African operations. As we observe this shift, both the Kenyan business community and the broader African audience await with anticipation, expecting Musunga’s guidance to significantly influence Diageo’s evolving presence in the region—a landscape that is dynamic by nature.