After 15 years of service at Nile Breweries, Marketing Director Daniel Ogong recently tendered his resignation. Ogong leaves at a time when Nile Breweries parent company SAB Miller has been taken over by AB InBev. Word was that his exit was due to these changes. We reached out to him.
They are many rumours about you right now. Is it true that you resigned from Nile Breweries?
Yes. Thank you for calling!
Is it related to the change in ownership?
100%. Change in ownership comes with change in business modules and structure. I think it is the right time to leave after 15 years of diligent service.
There are rumours that you left due to too much pressure from the new owners that you couldn’t handle.
It is very good that you endeavored to get information from the real source. That is a rumour. It is not pressure. I have been handling pressure. It is not anything new to me. It is the same pressure everywhere. My 15 years of service is a testament of my resilience and dedication. It is a personal choice to leave.
What’s you next move? Are you moving on to another corporate entity?
I am going to start my private business. I am not going back into employment. I cannot disclose the details right now but in the next couple of months you will definitely hear about it.
After spending 15 years at the helm drawing marketing strategies that have shaped the alcoholic drinks beverage business in the country, what’s your comment on this particular industry?
It has grown leaps and bounds. With our commitment to high quality beer at affordable price the industry has grown and I am confident it will even grow to greater heights.
About the proposed bill to regulate alcohol consumption as a man whose job was to push alcohol consumption volumes, what’s your comment?
The problem is mainly in the unregulated alcohol industry (like brewers of sachets), not in big players. That is where the real problem is. It is very cheap and easily accessible. That is where regulation is needed. At NBL, we did a lot to educate our customers about responsible drinking. Beer as a beverage is okay for human consumption and the industry contributes highly to the economic growth.