Adebayo Alli to replace Kenya’s Musunga as Guinness Nigeria MD/CEO

Guinness Nigeria Plc has announced the resignation of John Musunga as managing director of its organisation.

According to a corporate filing by the company on Tuesday on Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), his resignation will take effect from December 31, 2023.

The company said this is due to his imminent move to a new role at Diageo Africa as the new managing director for southern, west and central Africa (SWC) region.

The board thanked Musunga for his “brief but impactful stint as Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc”. 

“In his time as Managing Director, the business delivered a stellar perfomance under difficult conditions, reshaped its strategy while also achieving high employee engagement. The Board wishes Mr Musunga all the very best in his new role,” the statement said. 

Meanwhile, on the recommendation of the nominations, governance and remuneration committee of the board of Guinness Nigeria, the company also considered and approved the appointment of Adebayo Alli as MD, with effect from January 1, 2024. 

According to the company, Alli joined Diageo in 2005 as a packaging operations support manager and has worked in several senior leadership roles across manufacturing, supply and commercial.

“He is a well-rounded executive with almost two decades of broad experience and leadership across supply chain, manufacturing, program management and sales,” Guinness Nigeria said. 

“He has a proven track record of transforming business units, optimising end to end supply chains, leading commercial organisations to breakthrough and delivering results through a diverse and inclusive team in complex, uncertain and disruptive environments.

“In 2013 Bayo moved to Ethiopia on International Assignment to join Diageo’s Meta Abo Brewery Limited’s leadership team as the project lead for a business transformation project. He was subsequently promoted to Plant Manager in 2014 and appointed Supply Chain Director in 2015. 

“Bayo brought a unique style of leadership displaying a heightened sense of cultural awareness, an inclusive leadership, and a mission mindset to unlock many breakthroughs while working in Ethiopia.

“He returned to Nigeria in 2017 as Operations Director and in pursuit of his general management ambition, he transitioned to commercial taking up several senior commercial sales roles in Guinness Nigeria PLC. Between 2019 and 2020, Bayo was appointed and served briefly as the Director for IPS, Reserve & Modern Trade.”

In 2020, Bayo was appointed as the commercial director of Guinness Nigeria.