National Takes Over Unilever Ethiopia

Unilever Ethiopia has appointed an Ethiopian national to run its business, the second multinational company in recent months to do so, after Coca-Cola Beverages Africa elevated another Ethiopian to claim a senior executive position long held by expatriates.

Nesibu Temegen took charge of Unilever Ethiopia as a general manager, beginning this month, the company announced.

Nesibu, 42, brings over 18 years of experience in the industry. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in marketing management from Addis Abeba University.

Married and a father of three, Nesibu has held successive management roles at Unilever Ethiopia, Heineken Ethiopia, and East Africa Tiger Brands. He spent nine years at Unilever Ethiopia, most recently serving as a director leading its customer development operations, where he is credited with consolidating the company’s sales and marketing position.

Unilever, a multinational giant operating in over 190 countries, set foot in Ethiopia in 2014. Operating from the Eastern Industrial Zone, near the town of Modjo, Unilever Ethiopia produces well-known brands such as Lifebuoy, Omo, Knorr, Sunlight, and Signal, employing 7,000 local workers. It paid over two billion Birr in annual taxes.

Nesibu succeeds 60 years-old George Owusu-Ansah, who run the company for a year. A Ghanaian national, he boasts over 30 years of experience in supply chain, customer development, procurement, and management across Africa and Asia. Owusu-Ansah is retiring from the industry while remaining a board member of Unilever Ghana.

According to Degsew Amanu, the company’s head of Communications & Corporate Affairs, Owusu-Ansah's notable achievement was ensuring a smooth transition to the new leadership.

Nesibu, the first Ethiopian national in charge of Unilever Ethiopia, plans to diversify the company’s offerings and adapt existing products to evolving market demands. He wants to focus on expanding distribution channels and introducing new product lines. According to him, Unilever Ethiopia will import select products from Unilever’s global sourcing units, with plans to explore local production later.

"I aim for volume-led growth for the company," Nesibu told Fortune.