EABL appoints Andrew Kilonzo as new Kenya Breweries Managing Director
EABL names new KBL MD and Commercial Director as part of growth strategy following strong half-year financial performance.
KENYA – East African Breweries Plc. (EABL) has announced a significant leadership transition with the appointment of Andrew Kilonzo as the new Managing Director of Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), effective October 1, 2025.
Kilonzo will succeed Mark Ocitti, who is stepping down from the role on September 30, 2025, after serving the brewer for a decade.
Currently serving as the Managing Director of Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), Kilonzo is credited with delivering strong business performance and driving operational efficiency.
His appointment to lead Kenya Breweries is aligned with EABL’s broader strategy to boost regional growth and strengthen its market leadership.
In a parallel appointment, EABL has named Yvonne Mwangi as the new EABL Commercial Director for Kenya. Mwangi, who currently oversees operations in Seychelles and the Indian Ocean, will assume her new role on the same date.
She brings over 15 years of experience in commercial strategy, marketing, and leadership across multiple markets.
Jane Karuku, EABL Group Managing Director, expressed gratitude to Ocitti for his contributions and welcomed the new appointees.
“I want to thank Mark Ocitti for his invaluable contribution and welcome Andrew Kilonzo and Yvonne Mwangi into their new roles. I am confident this leadership team will continue to steer EABL’s performance, deepen our market penetration, and champion inclusion and diversity at all levels of our business,” Karuku said.
Karuku further emphasized that the appointments reflect the company’s strong succession pipeline and investment in leadership development.
“These appointments reflect EABL’s strong succession pipeline and our continued investment in leadership development across our markets,” she added.
The leadership changes come at a time when EABL continues to consolidate its dominance in the East African beverage industry.
For the half-year ended December 31, 2024, the company posted a 2% increase in revenue to KES 67.9 billion (US$525.3 million). Net sales rose by 2%, driven by 8% organic growth, while volumes increased by 1%.
Profit after tax rose 20% to KES 8.1 billion (US$62.7M), supported by effective cost management, operational efficiencies, and favorable currency movements.
Kenya contributed over 60% of total revenue, with 9% growth, while Tanzania and Uganda reported sales growth of 16% and 3% respectively.
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