Jumia, has appointed Jumia Uganda CEO, Vinod Goel, as its new Regional CEO for East Africa, a role which will see him managing the e-commerce company’s Kenya and Uganda branches as direct CEO.
Vinod takes over the Kenyan mantle from Charles Ballard, who is now the CEO of Twiga Foods. Jumia is confident that Vinod is equipped with the right skillset to steer Jumia Kenya through its growth phase, and make it generate a sustainable profitable business.
Speaking on his appointment, which took place on 9th May, 2024, Vinod said that he was excited to lead Jumia’s operations in Kenya and Uganda during this phase of growth.
He stated that Jumia’s “commitment to delivering an innovative, convenient, and affordable online shopping experience remains unwavering. Additionally, we are dedicated to fostering more brand partnerships with both local and global companies. We are witnessing huge interest from global brands such as Starlink, to be their sole partner and new brands to launch their products. We will also support brands to launch and expand in other Jumia markets to make them truly pan-African brands starting with Kenya and Uganda.”
Who is Vinod Goel?
Vinod is a technology executive who holds over 16 years of experience in manufacturing, software, and internet industries. He has successfully navigated various functions including strategy, corporate finance, distribution, digital supply chain, and general management.
He has earned a B.S. in Engineering from the Institute of Technology and Management, and also holds a dual MBA degree from MDI Gurgaon in India, and ESCP Europe in London.
Prior to working with Jumia, Vinod worked at HCL Technologies as a software engineer, and served in strategy, finance and supply Chain with French conglomerate, Lafarge Group, spending 10 years there and achieving the position of Supply Chain Director for Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions. His service at LaFarge Group saw him working in Europe, Asia and Africa.
He joined Jumia in 2020 serving as a Head of Fulfilment, building teams, setting up SOPs and rolling out on demand grocery delivery in 25 cities across 10 African countries. He was instrumental in making Jumia shipping faster and cheaper in less than two years. As a testament to his good work, Vinay was promoted to CEO of Jumia Uganda in 2022, where he put his skills to good use and successfully made the e-commerce, food delivery and quick commerce businesses more profitable.
Now Jumia’s Regional CEO for East Africa, an appointment Vinod brings a wealth of experience to his new role.
By Derrick Kafui Deti – Digital Economy Magazine
