Geoffrey Chege

Own the IWS program implementation in the Area, covering five factories in Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe ensuring IWS work is loss focused and targeted for delivering the Compelling Business Needs (CBN), set directions and adjustments needed to keep the program moving at the pace defined by the Area Leadership team. Use learning from Global and Regional teams and other benchmarks, learn continuously by doing and teaching current phase subjects as well future phase capability required and ensure an effective integration of all pillars.

Achievements

1. Building capability virtually in the dispersed teams in the four Southern Africa countries.

2. Development of a comprehensive training plan and virtual execution with the ESA Ops teams.

3. Putting in place improvement systems to drive robustness of the processes to position the factories for growth

4. Integrating the new ESA Area by embedding new ways of working

Owned the IWS program implementation on site, ensuring IWS work is loss focused and targeted for delivering the Compelling Business Need (CBN), set directions and adjust to keep the program moving at the pace defined by the leadership team. Use learning from Global and Regional teams and other benchmarks, learn continuously by doing and teaching current phase subjects as well future phase capability required and ensure an effective integration of all pillars.

Achievements

1. Leading pillars' integration and supporting site wide loss analysis.

2. Building capability in self and the teams to deliver breakthrough results.

3. Development of a comprehensive training plan from site wide capability gap analysis.

4. Supported the organization in delivering a successful first ever phase 1 pre-assessment in 2019

Leading a team of 20 Quality operatives, my role was to drive Quality Compliance to enhance the control environment, deliver Quality improvements through focused interventions in key focus areas to achieve Quality KPIs in line with business targets

Achievements

1. Significant improvements in both Q2 metrics - Q2S 91% and Q2C 78%.

2. Several best practices shared in the region for reapplication with the cigarette circumference loss elimination adopted as a global CBA.

3. Eliminated key losses - pack formation on bevel edge packs, ventilation, cigarette circumference and outer B defect losses.

4. Delivered ISO 9001:2015 re-certification audit, the ISO 17025:2005 surveillance audit and preparedness for the ISO 17025:2017 standard transition.

5. People capability building through rotation of factory quality people to build the necessary skills.

6. Quality pillar phase 1 ready on all parameters with QAT assessment at level 3.

The move to the Manufacturing Department was a demonstration of the confidence in my leadership capabilities, that I can lead teams and manage processes despite my having a different set of professional qualifications.

I managed a 3-stage value adding process, leading a technical team of 30 people, delivering productivity improvements and material savings through process optimization, breakdown elimination and JIT sourcing of packaging.

I also deployed the Integrated Work Systems environment to drive productivity.

Achievements

1. 17% productivity increase through process optimization resulting in reduction of the number of shifts from three to two with the same output annualized.

2. Savings of close to USD. 400,000 on tobacco packaging through focused demand and supply planning.

3. Through equipment and process optimization, we improved product quality delivering savings downstream.

4. People development plan that focused on skills improvement.

I led the Leaf Growing function in BAT (K) Ltd whose agenda was supporting over 5,500 small scale contracted farmers to produce tobacco for the domestic manufacture of cigarettes.

The function supplied a relatively cheaper raw material compared to the international tobacco markets. I headed the sustainability agenda of the operations as well ensuring just and fair farmer returns and margins, and environmental conservation and management through BAT's Social Responsibility in Tobacco Production (SRTP) platform.

My key roles were strategic and tactical leadership, performance and control environment management. I led, coached and developed a team of eight Agronomy Managers, forty frontline extension personnel and four back office staff with an annual budget of over USD.1.6 million.

During my tenor, the role expanded to include stakeholder management after the coming into effect of the County Governments structure where I spear headed positive engagement with the Counties' leadership.

Achievements:

1. Co-opted into the Regional Agronomy Steering Committee that drove BAT's Agronomy agenda for Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

2. Delivered the 2011 crop at 14% lower cost from USD. 0.38.00 to USD. 0.33.00 and a 16% rise in farmer incomes from USD.6.6 million to USD. 7.7 million

3. Among 10 Agronomy Managers from Africa selected worldwide for the global Leaf Essentials inaugural program in 2012, for both Agronomists and Engineers.

4. Delivered the 2013 and 2014 quality crops above plan and below budget. Delivered an all-time high volume of 8,000 tons in 2014 with farmer incomes of over USD. 130 million.

5. Achieved global best in class loan recovery of over 99%.

I led a team of extension personnel in supporting 1,200 farmers in Meru and Embu regions implementing the Kenya Leaf Growing strategy. Key role was to ensure delivery of the right quantity and quality of Leaf at optimal cost in line with demand of our internal customers in Blending and Manufacturing.

The regional budget, including farmer price, ranged between USD. 2-2.5 million with farm materials and supplies of about USD. 600 thousand.

I also implemented the Company's Social Responsibility in Tobacco Production programs in the Eastern growing region.

Achievements:

1. Promoted to Area Leaf Manager within two years of joining the business through challenging status quo and success rate of my proposals on efficiency improvements.

2. Selected as the only delegate from Africa for the 2008 Regional Agronomy Training Program in India that drew BAT Agronomists from all over the world

3. My team and I grew tobacco volumes from 700 tons to 1,700 tons in three seasons in Eastern with consistent loan recoveries of over 96%.

1. Grew FCV volumes by 30% and loan recovery of 100%

2. Double dark fire cured tobacco volumes in one season