Diageo Plc, a renowned multinational beverage company, has chosen Kenya as the location for its newly established Africa Digital Hub, aiming to expedite its digital transformation goals. The hub will be situated at the EABL headquarters in Nairobi’s Garden City Office Park and will function as a shared service, focusing on swift deployment of digital capabilities across the African continent.
Under the leadership of Ms. Waithera Kabiru, who previously held the position of Head of Media Futures at EABL, the Africa Digital Hub will cater to Diageo’s significant markets in Africa, encompassing Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana. This strategic choice further solidifies Kenya’s prominent status as a technology frontrunner on the African continent, fueled by the emergence of a prosperous middle-class population.
This development coincides with Kenya’s increasing recognition as a preferred hub for innovation among global tech giants. The country’s favorable attributes, including widespread mobile penetration, a thriving tech ecosystem, and the rise of a burgeoning middle class, have contributed to its appeal. A white paper published by Visa highlighted the remarkable growth rates of e-commerce globally, projecting a surge to $7 trillion worldwide by 2024. In 2020, EABL successfully introduced its direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform, ke.theBar.com, and plans are underway to expand its reach to additional African markets.
During the inauguration of the Hub, Susan Jones, the Global Digital Transformation Lead at Diageo, emphasized the significance of this initiative. As the first of its kind in the region, the hub will play a pivotal role in fulfilling Diageo’s digital vision, which aims to captivate and satisfy consumers by providing exceptional experiences across all physical and digital interactions. Diageo aspires to excel in the future of celebration, targeting the next generation, and this digital hub will be instrumental in achieving that objective.
