OK Zim appoints new group CEO

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter

LISTED retail chain, OK Zimbabwe Limited, has appointed Mr Maxen Karombo as the new group chief executive officer with effect from April 2021.

He replaces Mr Alex Siyavora who is retiring on 31 March 2021.

In a public notice, OK Zimbabwe said Mr Karombo was joining the retail chain from Delta Corporation where he was executive director-operations and marketing for 10 years.

“The chairman and board of directors of OK Zimbabwe Limited are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Maxen Karombo to the position of group chief executive officer with effect from the 5th of April 2021,” said the group.

Mr Karombo has held various senior leadership roles in marketing and operations. Leveraging on his robust training in marketing, the company, said Mr Karombo grew his business  leadership credentials at Unilever where he started off as marketing director for the South East Africa cluster, Zimbabwe customer development director, Unilever Uganda managing director and eventually Unilever Zimbabwe managing director.

“Max earned a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Technology Management (Hons) degree from the University of Zimbabwe.

“He was first certified as a chartered marketer in 1999 by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and is a recipient of the Outstanding Marketing Personality of the Year from Marketers Association of Zimbabwe,” said OK Zimbabwe.

On Mr Siyavora, the group said the outgoing group chief executive officer joined the company in 2001 as finance director before being promoted to group chief executive officer.

“During his tenure the company was named winner of the Top Performing Companies listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in 2018.

“The company also received runner-up awards in 2019 and 2020, amongst other awards recognising the exceptional performance of the company,” it said.

Under his leadership, the company extended its store footprint nationwide.

Mr Siyavora also oversaw the extensive refurbishment of the group’s 67 stores and he was also central to the company’s “brand refresh” innovation programme, and steered OK Zimbabwe through the two waves of the Covid-19 pandemic.

– @okazunga

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