Mondelēz International has appointed Vijay Ameta as managing director for Central and East Africa, strengthening its leadership team as the snacking company looks to drive commercial growth and expand its presence across key African markets.
Vijay Ameta. Image supplied
Ameta will lead Mondelēz's commercial strategy across the Central and East Africa region as part of the company's sub-Saharan Africa business, with a focus on growth, innovation and strengthening its position in the snacking category.
The appointment brings extensive African market experience to the role, particularly in navigating complex operating environments and developing commercial models suited to diverse markets.
Experienced African market leadership
Ameta joins Mondelēz following his most recent role as Business Head for Dabur's Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand businesses.
Before that, he spent almost a decade with Colgate-Palmolive, beginning in Africa in 2015 when he joined the company's Nigeria startup operation.
In 2017, he became general manager of the Nigeria and Ghana cluster, where he led the business through a challenging economic period characterised by currency devaluation and import restrictions.
Ameta subsequently played a role in transitioning the Nigerian subsidiary into a joint venture with Tolaram Nigeria in 2019 before taking responsibility for Colgate's East Africa Cluster as general manager in 2020.
His experience spans brand strategy, route-to-market development, distributor management and capability building – areas that are increasingly important for consumer goods companies operating across fragmented and fast-changing African markets.
“We are delighted to welcome Vijay to the Mondelēz International leadership team,” said Hisham Ezz El-Arab, president, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mondelēz International.
“His deep expertise in African markets, proven ability to drive commercial growth in complex environments, and passion for building high-performing teams make him an outstanding addition.”
Building growth across diverse markets
Ameta's appointment comes as consumer goods companies continue to navigate economic pressures, changing consumer behaviour and increasingly diverse retail and distribution environments across Africa.
El-Arab said Ameta's experience would be important to Mondelēz's broader expansion plans.
“With his proven ability to navigate complex markets and build winning commercial models, Vijay will play a pivotal role in driving our expansion agenda, bringing innovations and delighting consumers with our products, and reinforcing our position as the category and snacking leader across sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.
Ameta has also placed an emphasis on developing talent during his career. As a member of Colgate's Africa Management Committee, he advocated for the development of African talent and its progression into global roles, while mentoring emerging leaders.
He is a two-time recipient of Colgate's Global YCMAD Awards, recognising innovation in manufacturing and demand generation.
Consumer goods career spanning markets
Ameta began his career with Colgate-Palmolive in India in 2008, progressing through increasingly senior roles before moving into the company's African operations.
His wider career has also included positions at PepsiCo and Nokia, giving him experience across multiple consumer and technology categories.
He holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow and a degree in Computer Engineering from Mumbai University.
For Mondelēz, the appointment adds experienced commercial leadership to a region where growth opportunities are closely linked to understanding local consumers, building effective routes to market and adapting global brands to diverse market conditions.
Ameta's appointment therefore forms part of the company's continued investment in its Sub-Saharan Africa business, with Central and East Africa positioned as important markets in its broader regional growth strategy.
