Coca-Cola vice-president for East and Central Africa operations Debra Mallowah has exited the beverages firm barely three years after taking the position.
Ms Mallowah who was appointed to the Coca-Cola role after leaving the position of chief business development officer at Safaricom is headed to Bayer, a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company.
She will this Friday report at Bayer Crop Science Europe Middle East Africa as the cluster division head and cluster lead for crop science, according to Bayer.
“I am excited to join the Bayer Crop Science community and the agricultural business sector. I look forward to the opportunity where, together, we will cultivate a brighter future, empowering smallholder, and commercial farmers across the continent, transforming lives and sowing seeds of positive change,” said Ms Mallowah.
Coca-Cola has picked Alfred Olajide, who has been the vice president and general manager at Nigeria’s Coca-Cola Africa, to replace Ms Mallowah. Mr Olajide reported this month.
At Bayer, Ms Mallowah will take over the role from Klaus Eckstein who is retiring after 25 years of service. Dr Eckstein has also been the senior Bayer representative in South East Africa, a role he will hold until November 30.
“I am thankful for what we have achieved as a team so far and I am confident that Debra will enjoy the same support and teamwork,” said Dr Eckstein.
Ms Mallowah holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Nairobi. She also completed an advanced management programme from the IESE Business School in Spain and an executive programme on fintech innovation at Said Business School, Oxford University.
She has served in various positions including general manager of East & West Africa at GlaxoSmithKline, vice president for personal care at Unilever Africa, group marketing and innovations director at Diageo East Africa and BAT group product manager for East Africa.
