Rhona Namanya has been appointed Marketing and Innovation Director of Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), with the appointment effective January 1, 2027.
Namanya’s appointment comes after she demonstrated significant experience in previous roles at Uganda Waragi, Uganda Breweries, Kenya Breweries Limited and Serengeti Breweries, all within Diageo’s East African operations.
She is set to return to UBL as an experienced marketer with a wealth of professional experience spanning spirits, beer and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, including product innovation and brand positioning across these markets.
Her new role brings her back to the Ugandan business, where she will be responsible for driving brand growth, portfolio transformation and innovation.
Rebuilding Uganda Waragi
Between 2015 and 2019, Namanya helped reposition Uganda Waragi around flavour innovation, expanding the brand’s appeal beyond its established identity. Her work included the development of flavoured variants and experiential marketing initiatives designed to connect spirits brands with consumers through new social occasions.
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Regional Experience
After her earlier work in Uganda, Namanya moved to Kenya in 2019, taking up a senior innovation role at Kenya Breweries Limited. She subsequently returned to Uganda before relocating to Tanzania in July 2022 to lead beer marketing at Serengeti Breweries, broadening her experience across different beverage categories and consumer markets.
At Serengeti Breweries, she worked on the repositioning of the Serengeti brand and the development of flavoured products. Her portfolio included Serengeti Premium Apple, launched in April 2026, with a campaign involving 50 influencers at Serengeti National Park. The launch formed part of the brewer’s push into locally produced RTD beverages, a category offering additional growth opportunities beyond traditional beer.
Innovation Mandate
Namanya’s return comes as beverage companies compete for consumers through differentiated products, premium offerings and marketing built around local tastes. Her experience with flavoured spirits in Uganda and Kenya, followed by beer and RTD innovation in Tanzania, gives her exposure to several approaches she can bring to her new role at UBL.
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