Patricia Ithau has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of WPP Scangroup.

Patricia is a highly accomplished business and marketing leader who brings more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles overseeing the expansion of major consumer brands in Eastern Africa at companies including Unilever, Diageo/East African Breweries Ltd and L’Oréal.

She also holds a number of board positions at organisations such as ABSA Bank Kenya PLC, TradeMark East Africa Ltd, Jambojet Ltd, and British Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is a Trustee on the boards of Vodafone Foundation UK and M-Pesa Foundation, and was previously a non-executive director on the board of WPP Scangroup from 2017 to 2020.

In 2020, Ms. Ithau was awarded a Kenyan Head of State Commendation (HSC)  Civilian Division for her work in supporting enterprise development in the country.

She holds an MBA in Strategic Management from the United States International University – Africa, and a B Com from the University of Nairobi. She also completed an Advanced Management Program at Strathmore Business School/IESE Business School, Barcelona, a General Management Program at INSEAD – CEDEP, and a Certificate Program in Scenario Planning at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Patricia is an accredited executive coach and a certified emotional intelligence practitioner, working with business leaders to encourage a holistic approach to leadership and organisational change.

Patricia Ithau said: “WPP Scangroup is Kenya’s foremost marketing and communications network. I’m so excited by the opportunity to lead a company that prides itself on delivering outstanding work and creative innovation for clients. The company provides brands not only with unparalleled access to regional expertise, consumer insight and talent, but also the global reach they need to grow via the wider WPP network.”

Richard Omwela, Chairman of WPP Scangroup, said: “Patricia is an inspirational business leader in Kenya and beyond, and I’m delighted to welcome her to WPP Scangroup. She has extensive experience of transformational change that delivers sustainable business growth, and an inclusive leadership approach that will support our people as they create extraordinary work for our clients.”