Patricia Ithau steps down as Scangroup CEO
Omwela added that she will continue to work closely with the leadership team during the transition and that a search for her replacement has commenced
Patricial Ithau has stepped down as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Executive Director of WPP Scangroup after deciding to explore the next chapter of her life.
She has been replaced by Miriam Kaggwa, currently the Chief Operating Officer, on an interim basis, and will closely work with Vikas Mehta, the CEO of Ogilvy Africa, Scabgroup’s largest agency.
“Together with the broader management team, they will continue to drive the company’s growth agenda and ensure seamless operations. Scangroup remains on solid footing with a strategic focus and a strong leadership committed to delivering long term value for clients, shareholders and stakeholders,” Scangroup chairman Patrick Omwela said in a statment.
Ithau, who was appointed to the role in February 2022, was previously the Regional Director at the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Development Economies – Seed.
She is an executive with over 28 years of experience spearheading the expansion of top consumer brands in the region including Unilever, Diageo/ East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and L’Oreal.
At Scangroup, she was tasked with rapidly steering the organisation through rapidly shifting dynamics in the marketing and communications field and ccatalysing a crucial cultural change across its operations, according to Omwela.
“Patricia has been a passionate and dedicated leader offering valuable insights and expertise as the company navigated this complex and dynamic environment. The board thanks Patricia for her commitment and leadership and wishes her all the best in her future endevours,” he said.
Omwela added that she will continue to work closely with the leadership team during the transition and that a search for her replacement has commenced.
Mr Kaggwa is a Finance Executive with extensive experience in the marketing and communication industry is North America, the United Kingdom and Emerging Markets.
She hold a BA is Chemistry from Macalester University, Msc in Chemical Engineering from University of Minessota and an MBA from the Johnson School of Management, Cornell University, USA.
