Food and beverage giant, Nestlé, has announced the appointment of Mr Samer Chedid as the new Chief Executive Officer for its Central and West Africa Region (CWAR). The company made the announcement in an official statement, confirming that Chedid will take over leadership of its operations across 25 countries in the region.
Before his new appointment, Samer Chedid served as the CEO of Nestlé Indonesia. He succeeds Mr Mauricio Alarcón, who has now assumed a new position within the global Nestlé Group. The change marks a continuation of Nestlé’s strategy of rotating experienced hands across different regions to strengthen its leadership and operational focus in key markets.
Samer Chedid is not new to the Central and West African business environment. He previously served as Country Manager for Nestlé Ghana and has gained extensive experience across multiple Nestlé markets. His professional journey within the group spans over two decades, beginning in 1998 when he joined Nestlé as a Sales Development Manager.
Speaking on his appointment, Chedid expressed delight at returning to a region that had played a significant role in his Nestlé career. He said, “I am delighted to return to a region that has been a part of my career within the Nestlé group. Together with our resilient team of over 5,000 employees, I will continue to advance our purpose through innovation, high-quality product offerings, and meaningful partnerships. Our goal is to enhance livelihoods, promote community development, and maintain our commitment to environmental stewardship.”
Chedid’s career has seen him take up major leadership roles across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. After his initial role as Sales Development Manager, he became Head of Channel Category Sales Development for the Nestlé Middle East Region. He was later appointed General Business Manager for Bahrain, Qatar, and Dubai.
His journey then brought him to West Africa where he worked in Ghana. After his term as Country Manager for Nestlé Ghana, he returned to the Middle East and served as Sales Director for the region. He later led Nestlé Saudi Arabia as Country Manager and then moved to Pakistan, where he was appointed CEO of Nestlé Pakistan. Most recently, he served in Southeast Asia as CEO of Nestlé Indonesia.
The appointment comes at a critical time when businesses across Africa are navigating post-pandemic recovery, inflation, rising operational costs, and increased demand for affordable but nutritious food products. Nestlé, which operates in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, and several others in CWAR, has continued to invest in local sourcing, manufacturing, and community-focused programmes.
Under his leadership, Nestlé is expected to continue pushing for more sustainable practices, increased local production, and innovation in product delivery. Nestlé currently runs several initiatives in Africa to support youth employment, women empowerment, nutrition education, and environmental sustainability.
Chedid’s knowledge of African markets and his past experience in both Francophone and Anglophone countries is seen as an advantage as he takes over the regional leadership. His appointment also signals continuity in the company’s long-term commitment to the Central and West Africa region.
Industry observers will be watching to see how his leadership will shape the company’s operations, especially in Nigeria and Ghana—two of Nestlé’s biggest markets in the region. In both countries, Nestlé has invested significantly in production plants, local workforce, and community development projects.
With over 5,000 employees across CWAR, Nestlé remains one of the largest food and beverage employers in the region. The company produces and distributes well-known products such as Milo, Maggi, Nescafé, Golden Morn, and Cerelac. Chedid’s new role will involve overseeing supply chains, expanding product innovation, strengthening relationships with governments and communities, and driving long-term growth strategies.
As the business climate in the region continues to evolve, Nestlé’s focus on localisation, digitalisation, and sustainability is expected to remain a key part of its growth agenda under Chedid’s leadership.
