Reckitt has appointed Ujunwa Chukwumah as General Manager for West Africa, placing her at the helm of the company’s operations across the region.
The move marks a significant leadership transition for the global consumer health and hygiene company as it continues to expand access to its portfolio of everyday essential brands.
In a statement shared on her professional platform, Chukwumah expressed enthusiasm for the new chapter. “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Reckitt as General Manager, West Africa,” she said.
“Stepping into a new leadership role is always an opportunity to listen, learn and build, to understand the people, the business, our consumers and the markets we serve, and to translate that understanding into meaningful growth and impact. What makes this chapter particularly meaningful to me is Reckitt’s why: to provide better health in more hands, every day. I look forward to working alongside our teams, customers and partners across West Africa to bring this to life, strengthening our business while expanding access to the brands, products and solutions that make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives.”
She also highlighted the historic nature of her appointment.
“I’m also deeply honoured to be the first Nigerian woman to lead Reckitt’s West Africa business. I carry this responsibility with great pride, and with the hope that my journey will encourage more women to see themselves in senior leadership and pursue the opportunities ahead of them. A sincere thank you to the Reckitt Africa leadership team for the confidence, trust and support as I begin this new chapter. The work starts now. I’m looking forward to listening, building and delivering together.”
Chukwumah brings extensive commercial leadership experience spanning some of the world’s leading multinational consumer goods companies. Most recently, she served as Commercial Director for Diageo South, West and Central Africa, where she held full operational responsibility for the region.
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Prior to that, she led Diageo’s Mainstream Spirits and Ready-to-Drink business as General Manager, driving shipment and depletion targets, refining go-to-market strategies, and strengthening sales fundamentals across coverage, distribution, pricing, shelving and merchandising. She also previously held the role of Associate Director for Route to Consumer at Diageo, where she redesigned go-to-market models, led distributor transformation initiatives, and built channel strategies that enhanced profitability and market execution.
Her earlier career was forged at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly a decade in progressively senior commercial and strategic roles. These included Group Manager for Distributor Operations and E-commerce Leader in Nigeria, Field District Manager for Western Nigeria, Distributor Operations Manager, Country Manager and Corporate Market Strategy & Planning Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Regional Sales Manager for the West, and Key Account Manager in Lagos.
Across these positions, she expanded distribution networks significantly, built world-class distributor capabilities, entered new markets, and delivered consistent growth in sales, coverage and market share.
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