NIGERIA – Grand Oak Limited (GOL), a leading marketer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in Nigeria has announced that the company chief executive, Aare Fatai Odesile will step down from his position effective end of September.
A Beverage Industry News article reported that his resignation comes after 27 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
Odesile previously worked at the Nigerian Distilleries Limited (NDL) and GOK, two indigenous spirits firms owned by the Lexcel Group of Companies.
He started his career as with the Lexcel Group as a Quality Control/Production Officer with NDL in 1992 and rose through the ranks to the position of Managing Director/CEO of Grand Oak Limited, the marketing arm of Nigerian Distilleries Limited in 2016.
He is a council member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), a Trustee of the Distillers and Blenders sub group of MAN, and is currently an Executive Council member of Committee of Chief Executive of Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE).
“I have enjoyed every bit of my stay in both NDL and GOL having risen to become the first entry level graduate to become the managing director of the company.
“I remain eternally grateful to the shareholders and Board of Grand Oak Limited and Nigeria Distilleries for giving such a rare privilege to have risen to the top of my career within a space of 26 years,” commented Odesile on his appointment.
In 2017, the distributor concluded plans to begin the export its products to other West African markets outside Nigeria.
It expanded its brand portfolio with the launch of 9ja café Rhum into the Nigerian market, a product result of in-depth research and consumer engagement geared at taking over the leadership of the rum market in the country.
