Nigeria: Guinness Nigeria Appoints New Managing Director/CEO

Guinness Nigeria has appointed Girish Sharma as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

This is coming after the formal acquisition of Guinness Nigeria by Tolaram Group which was announced recently. The acquisition makes Tolaram the majority shareholder while establishing long-term license and royalty agreements for the company’s continued production, marketing and sale of the Guinness brand and all its locally manufactured Diageo ready-to-drink and mainstream spirits brands in Nigeria.

In his new appointment, Girish will lead the company through this new chapter, building on the legacy of quality and innovation, staying true to the company’s commitment to making positive impact on the communities it serves.”

In his remarks, he said “I am especially proud to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team, whose passion and commitment inspire me every day. Together, we will continue to drive success by fostering collaboration, creativity, and innovation across the business.

“Together, we will uphold our core values of integrity, respect, and responsibility while striving for growth and excellence. I look forward to embracing this new chapter and the journey ahead, driving growth and strengthening our leadership in the market.”

The partnership between Guinness Nigeria Plc and Tolaram according to Girish represents a powerful synergy, combining Guinness brand’s rich heritage and Tolaram’s innovative spirit.

Girish has over 20 years of experience as a seasoned business leader who has helped multiple businesses in the consumer goods industry grow. Over his 2-decade long journey with Tolaram, Girish has handled varied portfolios and led growth of multiple brands including the flagship brand “Indomie”, making it a household name and the market leader across Nigeria & Ghana. He currently leads the Colgate Tolaram joint venture for the group. Under his leadership, Colgate Tolaram has achieved 70% CAGR Y-o-Y top-line growth.

Previously, Girish has spearheaded growth for brands across diversified consumer product categories including cooking oil, snacks, personal care. Girish is passionate about marketing and takes a keen interest in sharpening his expertise of consumer and shopper behaviour.
Over the years, Girish has groomed many marketing and sales professionals across levels and helped them rise in their careers. He is also an avid reader, and he sometimes shares his learnings through his business anecdotes.

He is an active investor and maintains a portfolio across industries like consumer technology, fintech, etc. These industries inspire and interest Girish as he continues to learn and read more on the happenings and latest developments around them.

Girish holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, BBA Marketing from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University as well as an MBA in Marketing from University of Kent. He also has a Senior Executive Programme in Africa from Harvard Business School.