Mondelēz makes senior appointment to its West African operation

Multinational confectionery and snacking giant Mondelēz International has appointed Ayman Fahmy as its new Managing Director for West Africa. The appointment became effective on 15 May 2026. 

In his new role, he is responsible for directing regional commercial growth and providing strategic oversight of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, the subsidiary through which Mondelēz conducts a substantial part of its business in the region. 

The Mondelēz brand portfolio includes such household names as Cadbury, Oreo, Halls and Toblerone. Headquartered in the US, it is one of the largest snack companies in the world, marketing its products in approximately 165 countries. 

Cadbury Nigeria manufactures and distributes a wide range of chocolate, beverage and biscuit products. Prominent brands within the local portfolio include Cadbury Bournvita, Tom Tom, Trebor Cadbury Buttermint, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Hot chocolate and Clorets. 

Fahmy brings with him extensive pan-African and emerging-markets experience. He has held leadership roles at Reckitt Benckiser, Procter & Gamble, and Pakistani food giant Shan Foods. 

According to Milling Middle East & Africa magazine, the leadership change comes at a pivotal moment for Mondelēz in West Africa. 

“Nigeria’s snacking and confectionery market, though facing short-term pressure from currency depreciation and elevated raw material costs, particularly for cocoa and sugar, remains structurally attractive due to its youthful, growing population and expanding urban middle class,” the publication reports. 

“Analysts anticipate that Fahmy’s mandate will include driving volume growth through localized product strategies, strengthening distributor partnerships, and exploring manufacturing efficiencies within Cadbury Nigeria’s existing plant infrastructure.” 

The origins of Cadbury Nigeria Plc date back to the 1950s when the business was founded as an operation to source cocoa beans from Nigeria.