Nation Media Group names new CEO as Gitahi retires

Nation Media Group has appointed a new group CEO and an editor-in-chief in top management changes announced Monday.

Joseph Muganda will from July 1, 2015 take over from Linus Gitahi, 53, who has taken an early retirement, as group managing director and chief executive officer. Tom Mshindi has been promoted to the new position of editor-in-chief.

“Mr Muganda brings a diversified range of expertise in marketing, communication management, corporate and regulatory affairs and general management built over a long career at leading multinational corporations across several markets in Africa,” said NMG chairman, Wilfred Kiboro.

Mr Muganda joins NMG from Kenya Breweries Limited where he is currently the managing director.

Prior to joining KBL, he had served in several senior positions at British American Tobacco, Unilever and Barclays Bank. He holds a Bachelor of Science in economics, accounting and financial management from Buckingham University and an MBA from University of Leicester.

“I am delighted to be joining NMG and fully subscribe to its shared belief in the invaluable role and responsibility of a strong, high quality and independent media in contributing to the development of society,” said the incoming chief executive.

Mr Gitahi will continue to serve the group in an advisory capacity until the end of the year.

NMG profits have tripled during Mr Gitahi’s eight-year leadership to Sh3.6 billion from Sh1.2 billion in 2006 while turnover has more than doubled to Sh13.4 billion.

READ: Nation Media Group 2014 profit hits Sh3.6 billion

He oversaw the introduction of new products, including Business Daily, and the group’s entry into new regional markets.

“Mr Gitahi has provided exemplary leadership during a difficult period in Kenya and the wider region,” said Mr Kiboro.

Mr Mshindi, currently the chief operating officer and acting group editorial director, will join the publisher’s board as an executive director in his new position of editor-in-chief.

“Mr Mshindi has been promoted to the position of editor-in-chief with direct responsibilities for the group’s editorial portfolio across all print, broadcasting and digital platforms,” said Mr Kiboro.

He added that the publishing group was following international best practice of having an editorial representation at the board level.

Mr Mshindi has both editorial and commercial experiences having served in the positions of managing director at Nation Newspapers Division and Ugandan publication Monitor and managing editor of the Daily Nation. He also held the position of group managing director and chief executive officer at Standard Media Group.

Other changes within the group include the appointment of Leonard Mususa as non-executive director of NMG. Mr Mususa, a former senior country partner for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Tanzania, will also succeed Zuhura Muro as chairman of Mwananchi Communication Ltd, NMG’s Tanzanian subsidiary.

NMG is currently in the process of putting up a Sh2 billion printing press as it seeks to grow its market share with enhanced quality and pagination. 

The group is also injecting additional investments in the digital platform as it seeks a larger presence in the enlarged space.