KENYA – Coastal Bottlers limited, one of Coca-Cola’s leading local independent franchise bottling partners in Kenya, has appointed Seth Adu-Baah as the new CEO.
Seth joins the beverage company headquartered in Mombasa, from Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana Limited, to lead the growth and expansion of the soft beverage business in the region that covers the six counties of Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Lamu, Taita-Taveta and Tana River.
While at Coca-Cola Ghana, Seth created a high performing team that shared his passion, commitment, and solutions-focused approach to running the business, innovated the route to market strategy and introduced a digital platform to support online sales.
According to reports by Dhahabu Kenya, he achieved an 8 percent carbonated soft drinks market share recovery, 31 percent growth in sales volume, 17 percent growth in revenue and 18 percent growth in gross margin.
“I am delighted to be given a new role in Kenya and strongly believe there are many untapped opportunities in this market which I hope I can lead the team to venture into in the next phase of the business.”
New Coastal Bottlers Ltd CEO – Seth Adu-Baah
He was at the helm of the company from 2018 – 2020. Prior to being promoted to lead the Ghana business, Seth had held multiple leadership positions for 20 years of increasing responsibility in the Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company, including Country Manager roles in Gambia and Liberia, Head of Finance in Sierra Leone and Management Accountant in Ghana.
“Along with a proven track record of turning around and optimizing organizations due to his visionary and solution-focused mindset, strong financial competencies and customer centrism, Adu-Baah creates an employee culture of positivity to drive transformational growth,” said Sachit Raja-Shah, a Board Member, Coastal Bottlers Ltd.
As part of his philanthropic efforts, Seth played an instrumental leadership role in the successful Ebola relief in Liberia in 2014.
He won The Coca-Cola Company’s Eurasia & Africa Group President’s Sustainability Award in 2015; special recognition for Outstanding Management and Operational Endurance in the face of Ebola.
His commercial effectiveness has been recognized through awards such as the outstanding Beverage Manufacturing CEO of the Year 2018 by Ghana Entrepreneurs and Corporate Executives Awards, Young Industrialist of the Year 2018 and, Made in Ghana Awards 2018.
“I am delighted to be given a new role in Kenya and strongly believe there are many untapped opportunities in this market which I hope I can lead the team to venture into in the next phase of the business.
“I believe my experience in the other African markets will help as we lay down strategies to serve customers in this region,” said Seth, on his appointment.
The appointee holds an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration (Finance option) from the University of Ghana Business School.
He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK and Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management, Ghana, and an Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, with various qualifications in leadership, Business Management and Entrepreneurship from London School of Economics, Cranfield University School of Management, AT EMILE Woolf College, London; San Telmo Business School, Seville-Spain; and ESADE Business School, Barcelona Spain.
He has served on many Boards in private and public organizations and government committees, including acting as The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Cup Trophy Tour.
Seth is currently serving on J-Palm Liberia Ltd as a Board Chair, and Board Member, Junior Achievement Africa.
The Coca-Cola company is currently restructuring its business, announcing key leadership appointments across the globe, in a bid to create an organisation that is highly networked, less hierarchical and future-facing.
To this end, Coca-Cola Africa has appointed Debra Mallowah as the new Vice President for the East and Central Africa franchise, replacing Phillipine Mtikikiti who has also been appointed in a similar position at the South African franchise, based in Johannesburg.
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