Isuzu East Africa chief executive Kavashe joins BAT Kenya board

Motor vehicle dealer Isuzu East Africa chief executive Rita Kavashe has been appointed as a non-executive director of cigarette manufacturer BAT Kenya Plc #ticker:BAT.

This marks her second directorship at a Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm, having joined the board of Bamburi Cement #ticker:BAMB in March 2017.

“The board announces the appointment of Ms Rita Kavashe, MBS, as a non-executive director of the board effective July 2, 2020,” BAT said in a notice.

“The directors congratulate Ms Kavashe on her appointment and welcome her to the board.”

Ms Kavashe holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Moi University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nairobi.

She is expected to help direct BAT’s strategy, drawing from her experience in manufacturing, sales and marketing.

“Ms Kavashe is currently the managing director of Isuzu East Africa Limited (formerly General Motors East Africa), the largest motor vehicle assembler in East Africa,” BAT said.

“She joined General Motors in 1995 and has held several key roles in sales and marketing, both in Kenya and South Africa.”

Isuzu leads in the new motor vehicles market with a 38.2 percent stake, according to industry sales data for the first five months of the year.

BAT has in recent years focused on enhancing efficiencies at its manufacturing plant in Nairobi.

The firm manufactures cigarettes for the local and regional market. It also produces semi-processed tobacco which it sells to markets such as Sudan.

BAT’s net earnings dropped 4.8 percent to Sh3.8 billion in the year ended December 2019 on the introduction of a new levy (solatium) at a rate of two percent of the value of tobacco products.