Danone South Africa appoints Hervé Barrere as Managing Director

SOUTH AFRICA – Danone South Africa, the country’s largest manufacturer and distributor of yoghurt, has appointed Hervé Orama Barrere as its new Managing Director.

Danone has been in operating in south Africa for 19 years marketing brands such as NutriDay, Ultra Mel, Yogi Sip, Inkomazi, DanUp and Activa.

Consumer preference for Danone’s products has buoyed up the company’s position in the south African market.

The company more recently introduced Alpro, a plant-based brand to its portfolio shortly after the acquisition of Alpro in 2017 via its US$12.5 billion acquisition of U.S. organic food producer WhiteWave as it tried to capitalize on healthier eating trends.

Barrere previously led Danone Nigeria as Managing Director in 2017 as well as in Algeria in 2019.

He has also previously worked at Nestlé for 10 years in various positions including managing director in the Congo and Central Africa regions.

During his time at Danone previously, Barrere established solid retail foundations for a more sustainable and profitable business for the Early Life Nutrition and Essential Dairy Products categories across the African regions assigned to him.

Orama Barrere will be tasked with the responsibility to ensure the continued success and growth of Danone South Africa and its full brand portfolio.

“We believe that his expertise across African markets as a strategic and skilled managing director, both within Danone and through his previous roles, is sure to continue driving and building a sustainable and successful business for Danone both in Southern Africa and across the African region,” says Kid Nkantsu, operations director at Danone Southern Africa.

According to Danone, Barrere is no stranger to the African market adding that he posses  rich insights, experience and on-the-ground knowledge of building brands in Africa.

The company intends to leverage his longevity in the field as he brings with him a wealth of operational and leadership expertise.

“At Danone, we believe in a sustainable business model where profit and planet are interconnected. In 2023 we will aim to reinforce our market position and continue to bring health to more South Africans, through food,” Barrere said.

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