EABL’s Karuku exits manufacturers’ lobby as PG Bison boss takes chairperson seat

Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has elected PG Bison Kenya managing director Hitesh Mediratta as its new board chairperson.

This comes as the sector continues to grapple with high production costs, tax pressures and shifting global trade dynamics.

Mediratta succeeds East African Breweries Plc (EABL) group managing director Jane Karuku, whose two-year tenure at the helm of the country's largest manufacturing lobby has come to an end.

His appointment comes as manufacturers continue to push for policy reforms to improve Kenya's competitiveness, reduce the cost of doing business and position the country as a regional industrial hub under the government's industrialisation agenda.

PG Bison supplies interior decorative building materials to the construction and furniture sector in East Africa. 

Speaking after his election, Mediratta said his focus over the next two years will be on strengthening the competitiveness of Kenyan manufacturers, while helping the sector take advantage of changing global supply chains.

"While global uncertainties continue to shape trade, supply chains and global investment shifts, they also present an opportunity for Kenya and Africa to strengthen regional value chains, increase local value addition and unlock the full potential of manufacturing as a driver of economic growth and industrialization," he said.

He said KAM would continue advocating for policies that create a level playing field for manufacturers, while addressing longstanding tax and regulatory challenges that have affected investment and expansion.

"My priority will be to build on KAM's strong legacy of advocacy by creating a level playing field that enhances the competitiveness of Kenyan manufacturers both locally and globally," Mediratta said.

He pledged to champion equitable value chains that give manufacturers equal opportunities to compete, grow and thrive while pursuing practical, evidence-based solutions to policy and taxation issues.

The association will also continue engaging the government and industry stakeholders to advance reforms that support industrial expansion, unlock new investment opportunities and contribute to Kenya's broader industrialisation agenda, he added.

Mediratta previously served as chairperson of KAM's timber and furniture sector, vice chairperson of the trade and tax board committee and has been a member of the association's board since 2020.

He has served as the association's vice chairperson since 2024, and has been a strong advocate for a value-chain approach to policymaking and taxation, pushing for consensus-driven solutions aimed at strengthening Kenya's manufacturing ecosystem.

KAM also elected HACO Industries Kenya managing director Mary-Ann Musangi as the association's vice chairperson.

Musangi currently chairs KAM's Women in Manufacturing (WIM) Programme, where she has led initiatives promoting women's leadership, mentorship, skills development and increased participation in the manufacturing sector.

Her appointment is expected to strengthen KAM's efforts to promote diversity in industrial leadership while supporting the association's strategic priorities.

Although stepping down as chairperson, Karuku will remain on the KAM board as an ex-officio member, continuing to provide strategic guidance to the association.

During her tenure, KAM intensified engagement with the government on tax reforms, manufacturing competitiveness, trade facilitation and industrial policy, while championing initiatives aimed at increasing the sector's contribution to Kenya's economic growth.

Manufacturing remains one of the country's key economic pillars, contributing about eight per cent to Kenya's Gross Domestic Product and employing hundreds of thousands of workers directly and indirectly.

However, the sector has faced persistent challenges, including rising energy costs, multiple taxes and levies, expensive financing, exchange rate volatility and competition from imported products.

Industry players have also been calling for faster implementation of policies that encourage local production, export growth, value addition and regional integration through frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).