By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate
Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-Brewing giant, Guinness Nigeria Plc on Monday said it has named John O’Keefe as new managing director/chief executive officer (MD/CEO) of the company to replace Seni Adetu who will be stepping down as the company’s MD/CEO in November 2014, the beer maker said in a notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Guinness said Adetu spent two and half-years in that position and during his time in the role, he creditably led the business and successfully completed the expansion project and commenced a major transformation in the company’s Route-to-Consumer.
‘’Prior to taking up this assignment, Adetu was the managing director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd; and East African Breweries Ltd where he achieved great success. Having completed his assignment, he will report to Nick Blazquez, President, Diageo Africa and Asia starting January 2015,’’ the company said.
On his part, O’Keefe the CEO designate of company has been in Diageo for over 20 years, and has had a very strong career. He started his career as a graduate trainee for Guinness Ireland, holding many marketing roles in Ireland before moving to Jamaica as Marketing Director.
The brewer said, following this, O’Keeffe and his family moved to the Nordics where he held his first MD position and then moved to Athens where he spent two years as the Europe marketing director for Johnnie Walker.
Thereafter, he became the MD Russia and Eastern Europe based in Russia before returning to Ireland to take up his current role as global head of Diageo innovation and global head of beer & baileys.
According to the brewing giant, O’Keefe has been a board member of Guinness Nigeria for the past two years.
He has a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Economics & Marketing from Cork University. Given his track record as successful MD in a significant emerging market, ‘’his depth of experience on Guinness stout and across the wider portfolio and the knowledge he built of Guinness Nigeria, he brings a unique combination of skills to this role,’’ the company affirmed.
O’Keefe will resume in his new role November 2014. ‘’To ensure a smooth transition, Adetu will work alongside O’Keefe until the end of December 2014,’’ Guinness said.
