British American Tobacco Kenya - Rita Kavashe

Nationality: Kenyan
Age: 59

POSITION: Independent Non-Executive Chairperson since September 2020. Non- Executive Director since July 2020. Chairperson of the Board Nominations & Governance Committee.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Rita is currently the Chair of the Board and Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa Limited (formerly General Motors East Africa), the largest motor vehicle assembler in East Africa. She joined General Motors in 1995 and has held several key roles in Sales and Marketing, both in Kenya and South Africa. Rita holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Moi University, Eldoret and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nairobi. She is also an Executive Coach certified by the Academy of Executive Coaches (AOEC) UK. In 2017, Rita was awarded a state honour, the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) for exemplary service to the country in her capacity as a business leader.

KEY APPOINTMENTS:

• Director BAT Kenya Tobacco Company Limited
• Chair of the Board and Managing Director, Isuzu East Africa Limited
• Independent Non-Executive Director - Bamburi Cement Plc (Lafarge Group).
• Member of the Advisory Council of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).
• Advisory Board Member of the Palmhouse Foundation.
• Member of the University of Eldoret Endowment Trust Board of Trustees.