Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
1 Jul
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
The OpportunityOur client is one of East Africa's most established indigenous healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing businesses, with a legacy spanning more than five decades.Over the years, the company has built a strong reputation for quality, reliability, innovation, and contribution to healthcare access across the region. With a robust manufacturing platform, established brands, extensive distribution capabilities, and a growing regional footprint, the business is well-positioned for its next phase of growth.As part of a structured succession strategy, the founder is seeking to transition from day-to-day executive leadership into a strategic Board role. The company is therefore seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the next chapter of growth, strengthen commercial capabilities, develop future leaders, and preserve the values and legacy that have underpinned the organization's success.This is a rare opportunity to inherit a stable business with strong technical, regulatory, operational, and financial foundations while shaping its future direction across East Africa and beyond.
Role PurposeReporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer will assume full responsibility for the leadership and performance of the business.The successful candidate will provide strategic direction, drive commercial growth, lead organizational development, and ensure operational excellence while fostering a high-performance culture and developing the next generation of leaders.A key aspect of the mandate is ensuring a smooth founder transition while positioning the organization for sustainable long-term growth.Location: Nairobi, Kenya.
Key Responsibilities:Strategic Leadership Lead the execution of the company's strategic vision and growth agenda. Translate Board objectives into measurable business outcomes. Identify and pursue new growth opportunities across local and regional markets. Drive long-term value creation while preserving organizational culture and legacy.Commercial Growth Accelerate revenue growth and profitability across existing and new markets. Strengthen sales, marketing, distribution, and customer engagement capabilities. Improve commercial effectiveness through disciplined planning, forecasting, and execution. Support regional expansion initiatives and market penetration strategies.Leadership & Succession Development Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing executive team. Build organizational capability and succession depth across critical leadership positions. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Develop future leaders capable of supporting the company's long-term ambitions.Operational Excellence Ensure world-class standards across manufacturing, quality, regulatory compliance, supply chain, and customer service. Drive productivity, efficiency, and continuous improvement initiatives. Support effective risk management and corporate governance practices.Stakeholder Management Maintain strong relationships with shareholders, Board members, regulators, customers, suppliers, and strategic partners. Serve as the primary executive representative of the organization internally and externally.Ideal Candidate Profile Proven CEO, Managing Director, General Manager, COO, or Business Unit Leader with significant P&L responsibility. Strong commercial orientation with a track record of delivering sustainable growth. Experience leading sizeable organizations within pharmaceutical, healthcare, FMCG, manufacturing, consumer, or other regulated industries. Demonstrated success in building and leading cross-functional teams. Experience operating within founder-led, family-owned, private equity-backed, or entrepreneurial businesses undergoing transformation or succession. East African or broader African market experience preferred.Critical Success Factors Strong people leadership and coaching capability. Ability to inspire, align, and motivate experienced professionals. Commercially astute with strong strategic thinking. High emotional intelligence and stakeholder management skills. Ownership mindset with a long-term perspective. Ability to balance growth, governance, culture, and operational discipline.Why This Opportunity? Lead a respected market leader with a legacy of over 50 years. Drive a meaningful leadership transition and succession journey. Shape the future direction of a business with strong regional growth potential. Partner closely with an engaged Board and founder. Build a lasting legacy while contributing to improved healthcare outcomes across Africa.CompensationA competitive executive package will be offered, aligned to experience and capability, with performance-based incentives and long-term alignment mechanism.