Companies

Safaricom hires brewery executive to head HR unit

kasimu

Paul Kasimu has been EABL’s group HR director for six years. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Safaricom #ticker:SCOM has hired an East African Breweries Limited (EABL) #ticker:EABL executive as its new human resource director to fill a position left vacant in January after resignation of the former HR head.

Paul Kasimu, who has been EABL’s group HR director for six years, is set to report at Safaricom headquarters Monday in a similar capacity.

Mr Kasimu, who has previously served as Kenya Airways’ #ticker:KQ HR boss, replaced Mrs Maria Shipiri who exited the telecoms giant at the end of January after one year at the helm.

“Mr Kasimu will be joining Safaricom starting July 3 as the HR director,” Safaricom said in a response to the Business Daily’s queries.

“He is a mature and seasoned human resource professional with a wealth of experience having worked with big companies locally and internationally.”

Prior to joining EABL, Mr Kasimu headed the human resources docket at national carrier KQ for five years. He has also worked at Barclays Bank #ticker:BBK in senior roles at its Botswana and the United Kingdom.

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Bob Collymore in mid-January sent a memo to his staff stating that Ms Shipiri had decided to resign for personal reasons and “focus on developing her ambitions outside the company.”

Ms Shipiri joined Safaricom in July 2013 in a senior HR role but replaced her then boss Roy Masamba in February 2016 after he also left the company for what was said to be personal reasons.

Mr Masamba is now the chief HR officer for Airtel Africa.

Ms Shipiri currently works as an independent HR consultant, according to her LinkedIn page. In the absence of a substantive director, the HR team has been reporting Joe Ogutu, Safaricom’s director for strategy and innovation.

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