Nigerian Breweries appoints Nkechi Runsewe as Human Resources Director

Nigerian Breweries Plc has announced the appointment of Nkechi Runsewe as its new Human Resources Director, effective 1 August 2026.

Runsewe joins Nigerian Breweries from its parent company HEINEKEN, where she currently serves as Global Head of Talent Management. She succeeds Grace Omo-Lamai, who will retire on 28 July 2026 after nearly a decade of service marked by significant leadership contributions.

In a statement issued by the company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Uzo Odenigbo, Runsewe will play a key role in driving the execution of Nigerian Breweries’ EverGreen 2030 strategy. Her responsibilities will include shaping organisational design, leadership behaviour, workforce capability and performance systems to support sustained volume growth, cost discipline and consistent business performance.

Welcoming her appointment, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Thibaut Boidin, said the company was delighted to bring Runsewe into the leadership team at a critical stage of its transformation journey.

He said Runsewe brings deep expertise in talent management and a strong track record of driving high-performance cultures across geographies.

According to him, her leadership will be critical as we continue to build a future-ready organisation, strengthen our people capabilities and deliver our EverGreen 2030 ambitions.

He added: “Runsewe joins us from HEINEKEN, bringing strong global experience in talent management and organisational development. As Global Head of Talent Management at HEINEKEN, she strengthened leadership pipelines across the business, significantly improving succession readiness and advancing performance and development frameworks across HEINEKEN operating companies.”

Since joining HEINEKEN in September 2021, Runsewe has built strong partnerships across the people function and contributed to global communities of practice. She is recognised for her collaborative and pragmatic approach to continuous improvement.

Prior to her current role, she served as Regional Talent Lead for the Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe (AMEE) region. She has also held senior roles at Etisalat, M-Net Africa and Diageo, gaining experience across consulting, media, telecommunications, financial services and consumer goods.

Speaking on her appointment, Runsewe said: “I am honoured to join Nigerian Breweries at such an important moment in its journey. The company’s strong legacy, combined with its forward-looking EverGreen 2030 strategy, presents a unique opportunity to build an even stronger, high-performing organisation. I look forward to working closely with our teams to strengthen our leadership capabilities, deepen our talent pipeline, and foster a culture where our people can thrive and deliver sustainable growth for the business.”

The company also paid tribute to outgoing Human Resources Director Grace Omo-Lamai, who will retire after nearly a decade of service.

Under her leadership, Nigerian Breweries achieved its first Great Place To Work Silver recognition in 2021 and Top Employer Certification in Nigeria and Africa in 2026, alongside honours from the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, the International Coaching Federation Nigeria Chapter, HR People Magazine, and the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association.