Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda appoints Emmy Hashakimana as its new General Manager

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU) has announced the appointment of Emmy Hashakimana as its new General Manager, marking the latest milestone in a distinguished career that has spanned leadership roles across Africa and the United Kingdom. He joins CCBU from Uganda Breweries, where he most recently served as Commercial Director.

Hashakimana’s professional journey began with Unilever before he moved to Uganda Breweries in 2012 as Head of Customer Marketing. Over the next decade, he rose through several senior roles, including five years in London with Diageo’s Global Innovation Team, where he served as Head of Innovation Commercialisation for Africa. Upon his return to Uganda, he led the Marketing and Innovation function before taking on the role of Commercial Director.

In his most recent position, he led a team of over 200 people, delivering double-digit profit growth and tripling turnover in key regions. His leadership focused on stronger sales and operations planning, streamlined execution, and digital route-to-market innovations. Known for his commitment to building high-performing, diverse teams, Hashakimana has championed internal talent mobility across the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Effective August 12, Hashakimana takes up the helm at CCBU, part of the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) group. Announcing the appointment, CCBA Chief Operating Officer Gavin Hudson highlighted the company’s commitment to developing local talent and fostering leadership excellence.

“This appointment reflects our continued focus on strengthening local talent in Africa and building a strong leadership pipeline for the future,” Hudson said. “We have a people-first culture that ensures unparalleled professional development for our valued employees. Our aim is to nurture potential, attract and retain high-performing talent, and invest in growth. At CCBA, we foster an inclusive and thriving workplace that accelerates our growth. Our certification as a Top Employer in Uganda and three other countries, as well as at the regional level in Africa, reflects our commitment to being an employer of choice.”

Hudson added that CCBA’s continued market success and status as the continent’s largest bottler of Coca-Cola brands set it apart in the industry. “We are excited to welcome Emmy to CCBA.

His passion for building high-performing teams and his deep understanding of the East African market make him a valuable addition to our leadership. We look forward to the journey ahead with Emmy as part of our team.”