Farmer’s Choice Limited (FCL), East Africa’s leading meat processor, has named Felisters Gitau Mutugu as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ms. Gitau succeeds James Taylor, who led the company from the 1980s and transformed it from a small roadside butchery into a regional powerhouse in the food processing industry.
Ms. Gitau brings over a decade of experience in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector and has been a pivotal figure at Farmer’s Choice since joining in 2014. Her career at FCL began as Head of Sales Operations, where she focused on innovative sales strategies. She later rose to Director of Sales and Marketing, managing substantial profit and loss accounts and overseeing the company’s marketing and brand visibility strategies. In June 2022, she was promoted to Deputy Managing Director—Commercial, a role in which she drove sales growth and market expansion.
Prior to her tenure at Farmer’s Choice, Ms. Gitau worked at CIC Insurance, where she started her career as an Assistant Accountant, managing payments for the company and its subsidiaries.
Ms. Gitau’s professional journey is bolstered by her impressive academic qualifications. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi. Additionally, she earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and is a Senior Executive Program for Africa Fellow at Harvard Business School.
Read: James Taylor Steps Down as Farmer’s Choice CEO After 40 Years of Leadership
Beyond her corporate accomplishments, Ms. Gitau is a passionate advocate for advancing Kenya’s livestock and meat industry. She serves on the Steering Committee for the Kenya Livestock Sector Transformation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. She also actively supports initiatives that promote women’s empowerment and social impact through her involvement on several boards.
One of her notable contributions at Farmer’s Choice has been championing the empowerment of food vendors across Kenya. Under her leadership, the company upscaled the recruitment of sausage and smokie vendors, providing competitive packages to help entrepreneurs—many of them women—establish sustainable businesses in their regions.
In 2017, Ms. Gitau was named among Business Daily’s Top 40 Under 40 Women, a recognition of her exceptional leadership in a male-dominated industry. She attributes her success to being results-driven, disciplined, and a strong team player.
Ms. Gitau is passionate about inspiring young women to excel in their careers. She advises them to embrace challenging roles, believe in their abilities, and seize opportunities to unlock their full potential. She says thriving in a male-dominated field requires self-discipline, teamwork, and a strong focus on results.
Ms. Gitau cites German Chancellor Angela Merkel as her role model and a source of inspiration for leadership and mentorship.
Despite her demanding role, Ms. Gitau prioritizes maintaining a work-life balance. She enjoys running and exercising at Karura Forest, activities she credits with keeping her energized and focused.
As CEO, Ms. Gitau envisions steering Farmer’s Choice to even greater heights, cementing its position as a market leader in East Africa. She aims to enhance operational excellence, support the local livestock sector, and empower more entrepreneurs in the food industry.