Leading East and Central Africa’s largest brewery, the East Africa Breweries Limited, (EABL) is one phenomenal Kenyan woman, Jane Karuku.
To the business executive, it took more than hard work, resilience, and determination to become the first female and only the second African to rise to be the Group Managing Director and CEO of EABL.
Jane Karuku is leaving a mark for African women and the business community with her remarkable leadership skills, exemplary management acumen, and marketing expertise.
As a woman who has been able to break various barriers into male-dominated corporate leadership positions, she urges other women with phenomenal words.
“As a woman – don’t look for favors because you are a woman and expect diversity to help you. Just turn up and do your job as a human being and you have a better chance to succeed.”
Jane Karuku
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The early life of Jane Karuku
Jane Karuku was born in 1961 in Central Kenya. She credits her parents’ drive and belief in quality education as the foundation behind her hard work, resilience, and determination.
She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nairobi, a degree that prepared her for a career in food technology and the manufacturing industry.
Her corporate journey began immediately after university as a management trainee at Kenya Corporative Creameries Limited (KCC), then Kenya’s biggest milk processing company.
After around four years with KCC, she took a break from employment to take care of her family while at the same time, in the spirit of multi-tasking pursuing an MBA in Marketing from the National University of California.
Corporate life of Jane Karuku
After four and half years of raising her two young children, she rejoined the corporate world as a Brand Manager for KCC, rising to the position of Operations Manager before moving to Farmers Choice Kenya, the biggest meat production company in Kenya.
In 2002, she joined Cadbury Schweppes as the Managing Director of East and Central Africa, a position she held for nearly seven years.
From Cadbury, Jane moved to Telkom Kenya, where she worked for three years as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Secretary-General. Telkom Kenya was by then a subsidiary of French telecommunication’s giant, Orange.
In 2012, she joined Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), as the President. AGRA is one of Africa’s largest grant-making organizations in the food security and agricultural development sector.
Her role as AGRA president saw her appointed to the board of directors of EABL in 2013, a position that would point her to new opportunities in the alcohol industry.
In 2015, she became the Managing Director of Kenya Breweries Limited, (KBL) a subsidiary of EABL and one of Kenya’s biggest taxpayers.
Six years later, Jane was appointed Group MD and CEO of EABL, the holding company that operates the following six alcohol brewing subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania; Kenya Breweries Limited, Uganda Breweries Limited, International Distillers Uganda Limited, Serengeti Breweries Limited, UDV (K) Ltd and East African Maltings Limited.
Leadership and Strategy
Other than leading Africa’s food industry to economic excellence, Jane Karuku has served in various Boards.
She was a non-executive director of Barclays Bank of Kenya, currently Absa Bank Kenya Plc, from 2003 to 2014.
She has also served on the board of East African Breweries since June 2014.
She is a member of other boards like the Junior Achievement, Kenya, a trustee at the United States International University (USIU), Kenya, Vital Signs Monitoring System Conservation International, East African Breweries and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM).
East Africa Breweries Limited
East Africa Breweries Limited, EABL, is majorly owned by the beverage giant Diageo (50.03%). With over 100 brands, the company is listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Uganda Securities Exchange (USE), and Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE).
The Company is among the top companies in Kenya contributing around 1% of Kenya’s GDP and also the number one excise duty taxpayer.
Established in 1922, the EABL held its centenary celebrations in 2022. One of Jane’s landmark changes at EABL was the 2019 human resource policy changes that provided for a 26-week maternity leave and a four-week paternity leave, a first of its kind in East Africa.
From Tusker, EABL’s first product, the company has a portfolio of more than 100 alcoholic brands, from local jewels such as Tusker, Bell, Serengeti, and Uganda Waragi to international brands such as Guinness, Johnnie Walker, and Smirnoff.
Immediately after becoming the CEO in 2021, Jane led the company to its highest profits in over five years. The company has branches in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan expanding products to other African countries like Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Philanthropy
Jane Karuku is a Trustee of Precious Sisters, a Non-Governmental Organization that empowers underprivileged girls through education.
In 2020, she became the Chairperson of the Kenya Vision 2030 Board, where she provided leadership skills for Kenya’s Vision 2030 Strategy.
She was also among the leaders of the corporate sector in Kenya that spearheaded a funds drive that raised over US$ 20 million to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Awards and Recognitions
In 2020, Jane Karuku was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (MGH) award, recognizing her contributions to the nation.
In 2021, she was recognized by Africa.com as one of the most outstanding 50 African women corporate leaders who run the largest and most complex businesses in Africa.
Family
Jane Karuku is a family woman. Her two children are now middle-aged adults in pursuit of their own careers and life goals.
Her purpose in life, she says, is to inspire people to unleash their full potential;
“My purpose is to grow people, so I am constantly challenging people around me to be better versions of themselves; for self, their organizations, and the community at large.”
Jane Karuku
