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The Leadership team

The Leadership of British American Tobacco Kenya plc. comprises the Managing Director, Finance Director and Heads of the various Business Functions.

The Leadership Team is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Company’s policies and strategy set by the Board, and for creating the conditions for their successful day-to-day operation.

Crispin Achola, Managing Director

Crispin Achola

Managing Director

Crispin joined BAT Kenya in 1999 where he remained until 2017, holding various senior roles within BAT Kenya and the Group, including, Managing Director Mozambique, Cluster General Manager- Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe & Malawi, and Managing Director, Sudan. Subsequently, he joined the Kimberly-Clarke Corporation where he held the position of General Manager; West, East & Central Africa (WECA) and Managing Director Nigeria. Crispin returned to BAT in 2021 in his current role. He is also the Cluster Head of BAT East & Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Philemon Kipkemoi, Finance Director

Philemon Kipkemoi

Finance Director

Philemon joined BAT Kenya in 2007 from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), as Internal Audit Manager. He has subsequently held various senior Finance Leadership roles within the Group, including, Finance Controller (Uganda & Big Ben Tobacco DRC), Finance Controller (East & Central Africa), Head of Operations Finance (East & Central Africa) and most recently Head of Finance (Horn of Africa & Indian Ocean Islands). Philemon is also Chair of the Board of Trustees, BAT Kenya Staff Provident Fund, Non- Executive Director of BAT Uganda Ltd, BAT Zambia Ltd and BAT Zimbabwe Ltd, as well as Head of Finance for BAT East and Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Waeni Ngea, Head of Legal & Compliance

Waeni Ngea

Head of Legal & Compliance

Waeni rejoined BAT in July 2023 as Head of Legal & Compliance, East & Southern Africa Markets, after three years at Bamburi Cement plc where she held the role of Head of Legal & Compliance and Company Secretary. Prior to that, she had worked with BAT for six years from 2014 as Head of Legal, East & Central Africa & Company Secretary, BAT Kenya. She also previously worked with Unilever Kenya Limited as Legal Counsel, supporting the East Africa region. Waeni is also the Head of Legal for BAT East & Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Rachel Muchiri, Head of Commercial

Rachel Muchiri

Head of Commercial

Rachel re-joined BAT in 2012 and is a seasoned marketing executive with immense experience across various marketing disciplines, including Strategic Planning & Insights, Brand Management and Trade, Marketing & Distribution. She has experience in the FMCG sector spanning different markets within Sub-Saharan Africa including Egypt, DRC, Mauritius and South Africa. Rachel has held various senior roles in marketing within BAT, including her immediate former role as Head of Modern Oral Nicotine for BAT Sub Saharan Africa. Rachel is also the Head of Commercial for BAT East & Southern Africa Markets, based in Nairobi.

Wendilene Yolanda Balie, Head of Talent, Culture & Inclusion

Wendilene Yolanda Balie

Head of Talent, Culture & Inclusion

Wendilene joined BAT in 2014, as Area HR Shared Services Manager for BAT South Africa, subsequently holding various roles within Human Resources the Business. In October 2023, Wendilene was appointed Cluster Head of Talent, Culture, and Inclusion for BAT Kenya. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with a focus in accounting and specialisation in Tax from California State University - East Bay. She is also a certified Global Remuneration Profession (GRP) with the South African Reward Association. Wendilene continues to be instrumental in delivering business transformation and ensuring BAT remains fit for purpose. Prior to joining BAT, she worked as a Tax Consultant with Deloitte as well as Ernst and Young. Wendilene is also Head of Talent, Culture and Inclusion for BAT East and Southern Africa Markets (ESA), based in Nairobi.

Tashanya Okola, Head of External Affairs

Tashanya Okola

Head of External Affairs

Tashanya joined BAT Kenya in March 2017 as the Anti-illicit Trade Manager (AIT) for the then BAT East and Central Africa cluster and has subsequently held various roles within Government Affairs in BAT’s East and Southern Africa Markets (ESA). Following a short-term assignment in March 2022 as the Head of Government Affairs for Southern Africa Markets (SAM), she was appointed to her current role effective April 1, 2023. Tashanya has been instrumental in shaping the fiscal and regulatory environment for New Categories in Kenya and managing complex trade bloc and regulatory matters in EAM and SAM. She is also the Head of External Affairs for BAT East & Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Rumbidzai Hondora, Head of Marketing Deployment

Rumbidzai Hondora

Head of Marketing Deployment

Rumbidzai has over 15 years of experience in trade marketing & distribution, route to- market & channel Management and Shopper Marketing in the FMCG and service Industries. She joined BAT Zimbabwe in 2012 and has subsequently held various roles including leading a strategic business unit in BAT South Africa and her immediate former role as Head of Marketing for Southern African Markets based in Mozambique. Rumbidzai is an associate member of the Institute of Marketing Management of South Africa and the Marketing Association of Zimbabwe. She is also the Head of Marketing Deployment for BAT East & Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Joan Ambutu, Head of Information & Digital Technology

Joan Ambutu

Head of Information & Digital Technology

Joan has more than 20 years of experience in Information and Digital Technology. She joined BAT in October 2022. Prior to BAT, she served in various roles including Technology Lead, Unilever East Africa and before that Head of IT Services Delivery for KCB Group. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from JKUAT and has undertaken MBA course at USIU and MSc in Data Science at Strathmore University among other various certifications in IT. Joan is also the Transformational Portfolio Lead for BAT East & Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

Juliana Marinho, Head of Manufacturing

Juliana Marinho

Head of Manufacturing

Juliana joined BAT Brazil in 2009. She is an experienced operations professional who has built diverse experience across various areas such as procurement, supply chain, new product introduction, manufacturing and tobacco operations. She was the Head of Leaf Operations in Brazil, prior to joining BAT Kenya in December 2022 as the Head of Manufacturing, based in Nairobi.

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