Diageo proudly announces the promotion of Nwamaka (Amaka) Okey-Aguoru to Head of HR, West and Central Africa within the newly formed Diageo Southern, West, and Central Africa (SWC) business unit. Amaka will continue to be based in Lagos, Nigeria, playing a key role in driving Diageo’s people strategy across the SWC region.
A Proven HR Leader Driving Business Success
With over five years at Diageo, Amaka has played a pivotal role in shaping the people strategy, talent development, and culture transformation at Guinness Nigeria. In her previous role as Senior HR Business Partner, Commercial and Marketing, she partnered with the Commercial Leadership Team to drive transformational HR initiatives, including:
- A 95% increase in internal promotions, reinforcing Diageo’s commitment to talent growth.
- An impressive engagement index rise from 72% (F20) to 94% (F24), reflecting her success in fostering a high-performance culture.
- The creation of the Guinness Nigeria 3C’s Culture Framework, strengthening team relationships and igniting employee passion for Diageo brands.
- Influencing the design of the Diageo Africa Culture Framework, cementing her impact beyond Nigeria.
A Rich and Diverse HR Expertise
Over her 19-year career, she has led various portfolios and has built cross-industry experience in a host of HR best practice processes e.g. Business Partnering, Talent & Career Management, Change Management, Industrial and Employee Relations, Culture Transformation, Organizational Design etc. earning her various awards and recognition for valuable contributions.
Prior to joining Diageo, Amaka built an impressive carseer in leading multinational organizations, including:
- British American Tobacco – HR Business Partnering and Compensation and Benefits
- MTN – Human Resources Business Partnering, Employee & Industrial Relations
- Ikeja Electric (Member Sahara Power Group) – Employee Relations, Change Management and HR Strategy.
A Vision for An Inclusive Future
As Head of HR for West and Central Africa, Amaka will lead Diageo’s efforts to:
- Embed a strong people-centric culture that fosters engagement, inclusion, gender balance, and high performance.
- Develop talent strategies that ensure a diverse and robust pipeline of future leaders.
- Drive organizational effectiveness, enabling Diageo to achieve its business ambitions while championing diversity and inclusion across the region.
A Bold New Chapter
Reflecting on her new role, Amaka shared:
“I am honored to step into this role and continue shaping a culture where our people thrive. West and Central Africa holds immense potential, and I look forward to creating an environment where our teams feel empowered to succeed, innovate, and grow together.”
Diageo’s investment in top-tier HR leadership underscores its commitment to developing talent, fostering an inclusive workplace, and driving business success. With Amaka Okey-Aguoru at the helm, the future of Diageo’s people and culture strategy in West and Central Africa is poised for extraordinary growth and impact.
Please join us in congratulating Amaka on this well-deserved promotion and wishing her success in this new journey!
