Rhona Namanya will return to Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) as Marketing and Innovation Director on 1 January 2027, taking charge of brand growth, product development and portfolio strategy after regional marketing roles in Kenya and Tanzania. Her appointment brings her back to the Ugandan business where she helped reshape Uganda Waragi and its spirits portfolio.
The move reunites UBL with a marketer whose experience spans spirits, beer and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. Namanya previously worked across Uganda Breweries, Kenya Breweries Limited and Serengeti Breweries, all within Diageo’s East African operations, building experience in product innovation and brand positioning across three markets. Her new role places those capabilities within UBL’s marketing and innovation function.
Rebuilding Uganda Waragi
Between 2015 and 2019, Namanya helped reposition Uganda Waragi around flavour innovation, expanding the brand’s appeal beyond its established identity. Her work included the development of flavoured variants and experiential marketing initiatives designed to connect spirits brands with consumers through new social occasions.
She also contributed to premium spirits marketing through initiatives such as Kampala’s first Cocktail Week and Johnnie Walker Signature Bars. The approach combined product differentiation with consumer experiences, giving established brands additional ways to engage drinkers beyond conventional advertising.
Regional experience
After her earlier work in Uganda, Namanya moved to Kenya in 2019, taking up a senior innovation role at Kenya Breweries Limited. She subsequently returned to Uganda before relocating to Tanzania in July 2022 to lead beer marketing at Serengeti Breweries, broadening her experience across different beverage categories and consumer markets.
At Serengeti Breweries, she worked on the repositioning of the Serengeti brand and the development of flavoured products. Her portfolio included Serengeti Premium Apple, launched in April 2026, with a campaign involving 50 influencers at Serengeti National Park. The launch formed part of the brewer’s push into locally produced RTD beverages, a category offering additional growth opportunities beyond traditional beer.
Innovation mandate
Namanya’s return comes as beverage companies compete for consumers through differentiated products, premium offerings and marketing built around local tastes. Her experience with flavoured spirits in Uganda and Kenya, followed by beer and RTD innovation in Tanzania, gives her exposure to several approaches UBL can apply across its portfolio.
The immediate commercial test will be converting that experience into measurable growth for Uganda Breweries. The company has not disclosed specific targets for her new role, leaving the scale of planned product launches and portfolio changes unclear.
