EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS

Former marketer to take MD reins for Nestlé in African regions

By our News Team | 2022

Nicole Roos becomes the first female managing director to head up the company’s East and Southern Africa operations.

Nestlé, one of the world’s biggest food-producing companies, has appointed Nicole Roos as the first female managing director to head up its East and Southern Africa operations.

Roos is a former product manager and category marketing manager who has risen through the ranks of the Swiss-based FMCG giant. Nestlé is known for prominent global brands such as Nescafé, Milo, Smarties, KitKat and others.

Executive Appointments

Photo credit: Nestlé

She is succeeding Bruno Olierhoek, whose term ends on 31 October 2022. He has served as Chairman and Managing Director in the region since 2018.

Roos is currently the Business Executive Officer for Coffee and Beverages for Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). She began her career as a marketing trainee in South Africa 20 years ago and has had an illustrious journey since.

She took on different roles of increasing responsibility in South Africa until 2008, when she was moved to the United States to work as product manager and then senior project manager on Formula and Cereals for Nutrition.

Joined the Southern Africa leadership team

In 2010, Roos returned to South Africa to join the executive leadership team of Southern Africa as Country Business Manager for Infant Nutrition, a role she held for more than six years. 

Roos then took on her current role as Business Executive Officer for Coffee and Beverages in 2016 and has grown the business into one of the most successful in the Africa zone, despite the challenges of operating across multiple markets.

Commented Olierhoek: “I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Nicole, [who is] a passionate African who understands the incredible opportunities the East and Southern Africa region has. With her extensive experience and knowledge of the diverse consumer base in various categories, Nicole will continue to strengthen our path to digitalisation and sustain the ground-breaking circularity projects.

“I am confident that, with her at the helm, our business is assured to fully realise its purpose to ‘unlock the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone, today and generations to come’.”

In accepting the position, Roos said: “I am honoured to be appointed to this role and excited to be part of yet another milestone in the history of Nestlé in the region. I am stirred deeply that our business has the potential not only serve African consumers through affordable and accessible nutrition, but that we can also lead and inspire others to help protect, renew and restore the resources we all depend on.

“I look forward to working with our people and partners to address the complex challenges in creating shared value for our people, communities, shareholders and society at a meaningful scale.”

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