Drinks giant Diageo announces appointment of Managing Director for Africa

John Musunga has been appointed Managing Director for Africa by global beverage giant Diageo. He took up his new Nairobi-based position on 1 July 2026.  

In his new role, Musunga will lead Diageo’s operations across Africa, focusing on accelerating business growth, driving innovation, and expanding the company’s footprint in key markets throughout the continent. 

He was previously the London-based Managing Director for Diageo’s South, West and Central Africa business, where he oversaw operations in more than 30 markets and played a key role in driving the company’s regional growth strategy. 

Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria, leading a successful business transformation that returned the company to growth through strategic reforms and operational improvements. 

Musunga also previously headed Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) after joining Diageo in 2021. During his tenure, he guided the company through its post-pandemic recovery, helping strengthen its market position and business performance. 

Leadership positions at GSK 

Before joining Diageo, he held several senior leadership positions at global bio-pharmaceutical company GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline), where he worked across Africa, Europe and Asia, leading commercial operations and building partnerships in public health. 

Comments business news and intelligence platform Khusoko: “Musunga’s grounding in West Africa gives the new role added weight. Diageo has spent the past three years restructuring how it operates across the region, moving from direct ownership of breweries toward licensing and partnership arrangements with established local operators. 

“In Nigeria, Diageo sold its majority stake in Guinness Nigeria to Tolaram in 2024, while retaining ownership of the Guinness brand under a long-term licence and royalty agreement. Tolaram’s success in Nigeria has since supported expansion into Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Mozambique and Saudi Arabia.” 

On his LinkedIn profile, Musunga says of himself: “With over two decades of distinguished leadership, I have excelled in diverse roles encompassing general management, global strategy, and in-market operational execution. My career is marked by transformative achievements and success across various domains.”