Kenya’s Naivas Supermarkets announces leadership transition to new CEO

Kimani chose to step down during the company’s 35th anniversary in July 2025. He is a founding member of the retail chain and has held various positions since 1990. 

“As we mark 35 years of growth, Naivas Supermarkets is pleased to announce that effective 1st November 2025, Andreas von Paleske will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding our founder, David Kimani,” Naivas says in a statement. 

“This transition reflects a thoughtful succession plan anchored on stability, foresight and respect for the culture that has made Naivas Kenya’s leading retail chain. 

“Under David’s entrepreneurial spirit and distinguished leadership, Naivas has grown from a humble family venture into a national icon with over 100 stores and millions of loyal customers.” 

Experience in retail and investment management 

Von Paleske has been serving as Chief Strategy Officer since 2017 and brings over two decades of experience in retail and investment management across Africa, Europe and various emerging markets. 

During his tenure at Naivas he has been instrumental in building institutional structures, improving governance, and driving growth initiatives that strengthened the company’s position in Kenya’s retail sector. 

He played a key role in Naivas’ first external investment deals, which brought in funding from Amethis Private Equity and later from the Mauritius-based IBL Group. These deals opened the door for the supermarket’s continued growth and enhanced its competitiveness in the East African retail landscape. 

Since August 2022, Von Paleske has also been serving as a Board Member of Naivas International, the holding company responsible for the supermarket’s regional expansion strategy and corporate oversight. 

Before joining Naivas, von Paleske co-founded Africa Platform Capital LLP, a private equity firm that focused on consumer and healthcare investments across sub-Saharan Africa. 

Prior to that, he was Global Head of Consumer at Actis, where he managed investment operations in Africa, China, India and Latin America between 2013 and 2016.