Nigerian Breweries Plc, maker of Goldberg and Maltina, has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Oriakhi as the company’s new sales director, with effect from March 24, 2025.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Managing Director, Hans Essaadi, and obtained on Tuesday.
Oriakhi, who had been leading the sales function in an interim capacity since November 2024 while concurrently serving as marketing director, is expected to continue overseeing marketing operations until June 1, when a new marketing director will be appointed.
In his substantive role, Oriakhi is tasked with driving trade execution excellence, improving customer engagement, and optimising both distribution efficiency and sales productivity.
The country’s largest brewing firm said he would also continue to lead strategic initiatives aimed at building a future-ready sales workforce, including efforts to deepen sales capability and champion its Women in Sales programme as part of a broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The 78-year-old company expects Oriakhi to foster an innovation-driven culture within the sales team, positioning the company to navigate market volatility while maintaining its leadership in Nigeria’s brewing industry.
Nigerian Breweries added that Oriakhi’s expanded portfolio reflects the company’s confidence in his leadership capacity and aligns with its strategic ambition to deliver exceptional value in an increasingly dynamic commercial environment.
“In that same role, he is responsible for managing the reintegration of trade marketing and key accounts from marketing back to sales to create a more holistic and fit-for-purpose sales organisation,” read a statement.
Until his assumption into the new role in an official capacity, Oriakhi held sway as Marketing Director, a position he held since September 2018, leading successful innovations across the portfolio, including Desperados, Zagg, Legend Twist, Goldberg Black, and Heineken 45cl.
He championed the organisation’s premium drive, shaping its value strategy and boosting brand power for Heineken, Tiger and Desperados over the past couple of years.
