Coca-Cola announces new executive for Nairobi office

• Nathan Kalumbu, the head of the Nairobi-based Coca-Cola’s Central, East and West Africa business unit, has been promoted to head the soda giant’s Africa, Middle East and central Asia operations. He will be replaced in the Kenya office by Nigerian Kelvin Balogun, presently the managing director of Coca- Cola Nigeria.
• Mr Kalumbu will be rejoining the Nairobi office at a moment when its production of soft drinks in the half to June dropped for the first time in four years.
• Data from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that the production of soft drinks dropped from 189.7 million litres to 187.9 litres same period last year. He will also have to contend with the expected stiff competition as PepsiCo prepares to open a Sh2.4 billion Kenyan plant this year.

The leadership mantle of Coca-Cola’s Nairobi office will change in January after the beverage giant announced appointments for emerging markets operations.

Nathan Kalumbu, the head of the Nairobi-based Coca-Cola’s Central, East and West Africa business unit, has been promoted to head the soda giant’s Africa, Middle East and central Asia operations.

He will be replaced in the Kenya office by Nigerian Kelvin Balogun, presently the managing director of Coca- Cola Nigeria.

“We have solid momentum in our business, and we continue to lay the foundation for strong leadership and management continuity for years to come,” said Muhtar Kent, the chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.

The beverage giant made executive changes to a number of its emerging markets operations, including India. 

It is increasingly looking at emerging markets as its next frontier for growth and this informs its multibillion shilling expansion plans in markets like Kenya.

Mr Kalumbu will be rejoining the Nairobi office at a moment when its production of soft drinks in the half to June dropped for the first time in four years.

READ: Coca-Cola hit as soda sales fall for first time in four years

Data from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that the production of soft drinks dropped from 189.7 million litres to 187.9 litres same period last year.

He will also have to contend with the expected stiff competition as PepsiCo prepares to open a Sh2.4 billion Kenyan plant this year.

PepsiCo exited the Kenyan market in the 1970s, but began importing soda in 2010.