Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo
Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo was appointed as Managing Director at British American Tobacco Kenya (BATK) in May 2017,[1] replacing Keith Gretton.[2] She is also the Area Director for BAT East and Central Africa Area.[1]
Contents
Long-Standing Career with BAT
Spencer-Obatoyinbo joined BAT in 1996 and has held several senior positions, including:[1][3][4]
- Area Director of BAT Swiss Cluster, Western Europe Region (2014 – 2017);
- Head of Human Resources for BAT East Europe, Africa and Middle East Region (2013 – 2014);
- Area Director for BAT West Africa Area (2010 – 2012);
- General Manager for BAT Egypt (2007 – 2010);
- Marketing Director for BAT Nigeria (2004 – 2007);
- Head of Trade Marketing & Distribution, Nigeria (2002 – 2004);
In 2010, she was appointed board member of the BAT Nigeria Foundation, a limited company set up by BAT in 2002 under a commitment to the Nigerian government, to “contribute to Nigeria’s socio-economic development”.[5] Since taking up her post in Kenya, Spencer-Obatoyinbo has been quoted in the media arguing against changes in national tax regulations and increases in excise duty, and more recently the introduction of a tobacco control bill in Nairobi.
Against Tobacco Policy and Regulation in Kenya
BAT Kenya has been urging the Government to review its taxation policy on tobacco with Spencer-Obatoyinbo stating that it ‘’holds back the government led war against counterfeit and smuggled tobacco,’’[6] an argument commonly used to undermine tobacco control policies which is not supported by the evidence.[7].[8]
At BAT Kenya's AGM in 2018, she said the government should not implement the proposed 5.2% increase in excise duty on cigarettes under the Financial Bill 2018, and instead consider ‘’putting more resources in creating an environment favourable to business.’’[9]
Challenged Nairobi Tobacco Control Bill 2018
BAT claimed that the Nairobi City County Tobacco Bill 2018, which proposes the creation of a new department responsible for tobacco control and health, including issuing licences to tobacco retailers, represented “over-regulation”.[10] Spencer-Obatoyinbo argued that this bill would disrupt retail business and increase illicit trade[10], arguments restated by business organisations in Kenya.[11]
- For more information on BAT’s tactics in Kenya, see Kenya- BAT's Tactics to Undermine the Tobacco Control Regulations
- For more background on the tobacco industry in Kenya, see Kenya- Country Profile
TobaccoTactics Resources
- British American Tobacco
- Kenya- BAT's Tactics to Undermine the Tobacco Control Regulations
- Kenya- Country Profile
Relevant Link
British American Tobacco Kenya Website
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 British American Tobacco Kenya, The Board, undated, accessed March 2019
- ↑ BAT chief’s pay jumps to Sh60 million on promotion, Business Daily Africa, 28 April 2019
- ↑ British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Board of Directors, undated, accessed March 2019
- ↑ LinkedIn Profile, Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo, undated, accessed March 2019
- ↑ British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, About Us, undated, accessed March 2019
- ↑ K. Muiruri, BAT calls for the rational taxation of tobacco, Citizentv.co.ke, 14 May 2018, accessed March 2019
- ↑ Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), World Bank cites UK as example of how tobacco taxes can be used to increase government revenues and improve public health ASH press release 1 February 2019, accessed March 2019
- ↑ A. B. Gilmore, G. Fooks, J. Drope, S. Aguinaga Bialous, R. R. Jackson, Exposing and addressing tobacco industry conduct in low-income and middle-income countries The Lancet,2015,385(9972): 1029-1043, accessed March 2019
- ↑ M. Roberto, Cigarette maker BAT braves tough local environment to rake in KSh 2 billion profit, Tuko.co.ke, September 2018, accessed March 2019
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 P. Alushula, BAT says City tobacco bill ‘extreme’, The Daily Nation, 17 February 2019, accessed March 2019
- ↑ V. Amadala, Business bodies slam Nairobi’s Tobacco Bill as too oppressive, The Star, 4 March 2019, accessed March 2019