Companies

Nestle hires Swiss as new CEO for its Nairobi hub

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Nestlé EAR has been increasing farmers’ capacity building targeting the dairy and coffee sectors. PHOTO | FILE

Food maker Nestlé has hired Swiss national Cornel Krummenacher as chief executive for its Nairobi hub, which oversees the Equatorial Africa market.

Mr Krummenacher, a specialist in marketing and sales, succeeds Ian Donald who served a two-year term in Nairobi and has been posted as chief executive for Nestlé South Africa.

The incoming boss will be tasked with driving sales in the Equatorial African region (EAR) made up of 21 countries where Nestlé has four factories in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola and the DR Congo and more than 1,000 employees.

Mr Krummenacher will take office on September 1. He will have the task of defending and growing the market share of Nestlé’s flagship products such as Cerelac, KitKat, Nesquik Cereal, Nescafe coffee, Milo, Nestea, Maggi noodles and Boost energy drink.

Mr Krummenacher has been with Nestlé for more than 20 years and previously served in senior management positions in Hong Kong, Switzerland and China.

Strong experience

He has also overseen business operations for Latin America and America.

“He brings to this region his strong experience in emerging markets,” Nestlé said in a statement. The Suisse-based firm manufactures baby foods, cereals, chocolates, coffee, dairy products, ice cream and beverages and pet foods.  

Nestlé EAR has been increasing farmers’ capacity building targeting the dairy and coffee sectors.

The company has been offering technical assistance to organise and develop the dairy supply chain to develop a reliable and consistent market for the dairy farmers.