Mondelēz International appoints Ayman Fahmy as West Africa Managing Director
In this role, Fahmy will direct regional commercial growth, oversee all West Africa business operations, and lead Cadbury Nigeria PLC.
NIGERIA – Mondelēz International, the American multinational confectionery and snacking giant behind brands such as Cadbury, Oreo, and Toblerone, has named Ayman Fahmy as its new Managing Director for West Africa, effective May 15, 2026.
The appointment marks a significant leadership transition for one of the region’s most recognizable consumer goods operations, as the company looks to sharpen its commercial strategy across a market with considerable long-term growth potential.
In his new capacity, Fahmy will be responsible for directing regional commercial growth and providing strategic oversight of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, the Lagos-listed subsidiary through which Mondelēz conducts a substantial portion of its West African business.
Cadbury Nigeria, which manufactures and distributes a wide range of chocolate, beverage, and biscuit products, remains a household name in Nigeria and several neighbouring markets, making the Managing Director role one of the more high-profile FMCG leadership positions in the sub-region.
Fahmy brings an extensive pan-African and emerging-markets track record to the role.
He has previously held senior leadership positions at Shan Foods, the Pakistani food conglomerate with growing African operations, as well as at Reckitt Benckiser and Procter & Gamble, two multinational corporations widely regarded as finishing schools for world-class commercial and operational talent.
His cross-industry background spanning health, hygiene, and consumer staples is expected to inform a more integrated approach to market development at Mondelēz West Africa.
Fahmy’s appointment follows the tenure of Folake Ogundipe, who served as interim Managing Director during the company’s executive search.
Folake Ogundipe is a senior finance leader and board member with over two decades of experience spanning FMCG, Energy Service and management consulting. Prior to joining Mondelēz, she held senior leadership positions across diverse sectors, including Executive Director, Finance at Unilever Nigeria Plc.
The leadership change comes at a pivotal moment for Mondelēz in West Africa.
Nigeria’s snacking and confectionery market, though facing short-term pressure from currency depreciation and elevated raw material costs, particularly for cocoa and sugar, remains structurally attractive due to its youthful, growing population and expanding urban middle class.
Analysts anticipate that Fahmy’s mandate will include driving volume growth through localized product strategies, strengthening distributor partnerships, and exploring manufacturing efficiencies within Cadbury Nigeria’s existing plant infrastructure.
Mondelēz International operates in more than 150 countries and reported global net revenues of approximately US$36 billion in its most recent full fiscal year, with emerging markets accounting for an increasingly meaningful share of its growth profile.
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