2022 Creative LIAisons Coaches
Waithera Kabiru
Head of Media FuturesDiageo/EABL Plc
Nairobi
Waithera is a seasoned marketing practitioner with specialist capabilities in media and digital. Over the last 20 years, she has led successful marketing campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa across various industries including telecommunications, financial services and consumer packaged goods.
Waithera is currently the Head of Media Futures at East African Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo PLC, where she leads Connections Lead Creative campaigns for a portfolio of over 30 brands. Waithera is the Responsible Marketing champion, ensuring compliance to Diageo’s Marketing Code, and local regulations. In 2020 and 2021, EABL’s marketing team was awarded the Overall Winner in Marketing at the prestigious Marketing Society of Kenya annual awards. In 2020, Waithera partnered with WPP Ogilvy Africa and set up an internal digital creative agency, DigiTribe to inject speed and agility in marketing and ecommerce by ensuring EABL brands connect with consumers effectively and with efficiently. Waithera was awarded the prestigious Digital Champion award at Diageo’s Pride of Africa Awards in 2021.
Prior to joining EABL, Waithera spent 6 years at Coca-Cola Central, East and West Africa as the Digital Marketing Manager in the Integrated Marketing Communications role. She led content and connections in multiple markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, on campaigns such as, the award-winning Coke Studio Africa, FIFA World Cup 2014 and 2018, and Share a Coke.
Waithera was a pioneer in digital media. In 2007, she led the set-up of the digital media division at 98.4 Capital FM Kenya where she led the digital transformation of the media house resulting in a key-shifts in the way radio and digital media is consumed in Kenya today.
As a thought leader in marketing, her work has been published locally and internationally in Adweek, Fast Company, Biz Community and Business Daily (Kenya). She is the inaugural host of the Marketing Society of Kenya’s podcast, iMarket where she interviews leading marketers across Africa. She has provided expertise as a Jury Member at the 2017 Loeries Awards (Africa) and the 2018 and 2019 LIA Awards, the 2020 Marketing Society of Kenya Awards, and the 2021 WARC Media awards.
In 2021 Waithera was elected to the board of the Marketing Society of Kenya. She serves as the Chair of the Student National Committee that focuses on mentoring the next generation of marketing leaders.
Waithera is currently the Head of Media Futures at East African Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo PLC, where she leads Connections Lead Creative campaigns for a portfolio of over 30 brands. Waithera is the Responsible Marketing champion, ensuring compliance to Diageo’s Marketing Code, and local regulations. In 2020 and 2021, EABL’s marketing team was awarded the Overall Winner in Marketing at the prestigious Marketing Society of Kenya annual awards. In 2020, Waithera partnered with WPP Ogilvy Africa and set up an internal digital creative agency, DigiTribe to inject speed and agility in marketing and ecommerce by ensuring EABL brands connect with consumers effectively and with efficiently. Waithera was awarded the prestigious Digital Champion award at Diageo’s Pride of Africa Awards in 2021.
Prior to joining EABL, Waithera spent 6 years at Coca-Cola Central, East and West Africa as the Digital Marketing Manager in the Integrated Marketing Communications role. She led content and connections in multiple markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, on campaigns such as, the award-winning Coke Studio Africa, FIFA World Cup 2014 and 2018, and Share a Coke.
Waithera was a pioneer in digital media. In 2007, she led the set-up of the digital media division at 98.4 Capital FM Kenya where she led the digital transformation of the media house resulting in a key-shifts in the way radio and digital media is consumed in Kenya today.
As a thought leader in marketing, her work has been published locally and internationally in Adweek, Fast Company, Biz Community and Business Daily (Kenya). She is the inaugural host of the Marketing Society of Kenya’s podcast, iMarket where she interviews leading marketers across Africa. She has provided expertise as a Jury Member at the 2017 Loeries Awards (Africa) and the 2018 and 2019 LIA Awards, the 2020 Marketing Society of Kenya Awards, and the 2021 WARC Media awards.
In 2021 Waithera was elected to the board of the Marketing Society of Kenya. She serves as the Chair of the Student National Committee that focuses on mentoring the next generation of marketing leaders.