Brand building director, Unilever East Africa
James was born and raised in Zimbabwe together with two other brothers. Like any other boy, his childhood dream was to be a doctor of some sort. He never really thought that he would pursue marketing, leave alone make a breakthrough in marketing and lead teams in a very large multinational company.
Throughout his career, he has worked across the African continent in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya. Unilever has given him a chance to work in diverse places with different lifestyles and cultures. He now resides in Kenya, the regional company base.
I am not really an early to bed, early-to-rise type of person. So, I can best sum it up as, late as I need to and usually waking up at around 6.30am during weekdays.
The first thing I do is take a quick shower, dress up and I'm off to work.
I don’t have breakfast everyday. But on the days I do, it’s usually simple – cereals, eggs, bacon and toast. It's more for my kids. I insist that they have a good breakfast essential for proper growth.
My day is all about making sure that people look good, feel good and get more out of life with the best brands that Unilever has to offer. Work is hectic, busy but also fun. I try to make sure that I focus on the areas that bring most impact to the business. Apart from the pressures of meeting targets and making sure that all Unilever brands in East Africa are at their best performance, there is the fulfillment of knowing that our products go a long way in changing lives.
If I eat lunch, it would be in a meeting or at my desk but don’t always have it. My afternoons are as busy as my mornings. Lots of meetings and pushing on the company brands. When you work for a place you love, you become part of the company and your values go hand in hand. I live the brands that I work tirelessly to promote.
Usually I get home at around 8pm. I try to leave work early enough for me to get home before my kids go to sleep. But traffic to Karen is not always obliging!
Dinner is varied, but that is the one meal I always have. But at least I make sure it's a balanced diet. Some vegetables and fruits must be a part of it.
Before I go to bed I usually like to unwind by watching a movie or one of my many favourite TV series. And if I am into it, just maybe a glass of whiskey, but not always.
My Saturdays are spent with the family at home. I also prefer doing some shopping on this day.
Sometimes I go to church on Sundays. When I can, I squeeze in a round of golf, but I also take the opportunity to catch up on some work too.
