First Kenyan to become HR director for Diageo, Great Britain

Diageo has elevated Ednah Otieno, group human resources director, East African Breweries (EABL), to the position of HR director for Diageo, Great Britain. Diageo is the largest shareholder in the EABL group.

Otieno will take up this role with effect from July 1, 2021. She has been accredited for her outstanding performance at EABL and for inspiring and creating a strong succession pipeline. She managed to build a strong learning culture which focuses on self-directed learning.

With 18 years of experience in the HR domain to back her, Otieno has been instrumental in implementing parental leaves and enabling cross-functional collaborations at EABL. She has also played a critical part in ensuring diversity by encouraging parity hiring and early career programmes.

Otieno started her career with EABL Africa as a graduate trainee in 2003. She served in different roles in the HR team, handling talent, reward and shared services. Her last position at EABL was head of rewards, Diageo Africa. She joined Airtel Africa in 2014 as head of organisation effectiveness and rewards.

In 2015 she joined Mars Wrigley as head of people and later returned to Diageo as group human director, EABL in August, 2017.