After 23 years with Diageo Plc, 16 of them as Chief Executive in various Diageo country operations, Baker Magunda, is retiring from the Group.
With over 200 brands and sales in more than 180 countries, Diageo Plc is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer that include among others Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness and Ciroc.
Diageo is the parent company of Guinness Nigeria Plc where Magunda has been Managing Director/CEO since July 2018. In East Africa, Diageo owns East African Breweries Limited, which owns Uganda Breweries Limited, one of Uganda’s leaders in beverage alcohol.
In a statement released by Guinness Nigeria Plc, the company said that Magunda will be replaced by Mr. John Musunga effective 1st November 2022.
“The appointment of Mr. Musunga followed the notice of retirement of Mr. Magunda, Baker from the service of Diageo Plc. after over twenty-three years, and consequent resignation from his role as Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria and member of the Board of the company with effect from 31st October 2022,” the statement said.
“Magunda would be celebrated and remembered for leading the remarkable return to profitability for Guinness Nigeria in a very challenging covid-era during his time as Chief Executive Officer. The Brewing giant’s last published audited results for the period ended 30 June 2022 revealed an impressive 1147% increase in profit after tax, with double-digit revenue growth across all key metrics, despite the challenging macro environment; attributed to the robust strategy by the Board executed by Management led by Magunda,” further added the statement.
Mr Magunda joined Diageo in 1999 as Marketing Manager, Uganda Breweries Limited and thereafter and has held several senior leadership roles, including Managing Director, Uganda Breweries Limited; Managing Director, Kenya Breweries Limited; and Managing Director, Diageo Guinness Cameroon. He was also Managing Director of the Diageo-owned Meta Abo Breweries in Ethiopia, before being appointed Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, of Guinness Nigeria.
His successor, Mr. John Musunga will join Guinness Nigeria effective 1st November 2022, from Diageo’s subsidiary in Kenya where he is currently the Managing Director.
Mr. Musunga joined Diageo’s East African Breweries Limited (which Kenya Breweries is a part of) in March 2021 from a highly successful leadership career at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where he was the Vaccines Market Leader with GSK’s Global Vaccines Category and had business responsibilities for Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe.
He has over twenty-five years of experience in senior local, regional and global roles including Managing Director and General Manager of GSK’s Kenya and East Africa Business as well as the Head of Supranationals for GSK Global Vaccines.
Speaking on behalf of the Board of Guinness Nigeria, Board Chair, Dr Omobola Johnson thanked Mr. Magunda for his service, his strong and passionate leadership, strategic focus and contribution to the growth and success of the company.
“Baker is an inspiring leader and will be missed by us all. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” she said.
Dr Johnson also assured stakeholders of the incoming Managing Director’s leadership capabilities. “The Board is optimistic that the leadership of the Company would be further strengthened through Mr. Musunga’s invaluable experience and passion in developing strong talent and in driving overall business transformation through sustainable growth and delivery of stakeholder value,” she added.
