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NELLY KIOGORA TOROITICH
FINANCE DIRECTOR, UNILEVER EA
Nelly Kiogora Toroitich is a true stalwart in the finance world, stepping into the role of Finance Director at Unilever East Africa in October 2023.
Her role as Finance Director involves overseeing the financial health of the company, driving financial strategies that align with Unilever’s broader business objectives, and ensuring that the company remains competitive in the ever-evolving market. Colleagues describe Nelly as a highly ambitious individual who consistently sets high standards, a trait that has defined her professional journey.
Nelly’s promotion to Finance Director is the culmination of years of meticulous planning and consistent hard work. Even before this achievement, she was determined to secure this role and proactively crafted a future-fit plan, focusing on acquiring the skills and experiences necessary to excel as a Finance Director and consistently delivering great performance and impact.
“There is no end to learning. Part of my personal daily targets is to create time to learn. It gives me a great feeling of accomplishment when I close the day having gained new knowledge. Being constantly curious and courageous is critical for leaders to reinvent themselves and their skills through learning and exploration, but is also critical for unlocking opportunities,” she reflects.
Before taking on her current role, Nelly led the Finance Excellence Team at Unilever East Africa, a position she held for two and a half years. In this role, she led business performance discussions leading to delivery of consistent and profitable business results whilst navigating a disruptive and challenging business environment of unprecedented inflation.
She also doubled as a strategic business partner to the Managing Director (MD) of East Africa a role that transformed her to a business leader as opposed to a functional leader and helped her look at the Finance role from a Strategic point.
Prior to that, Nelly served as the Financial Controller for East Africa at Unilever where she was instrumental in embedding a controls conscious culture leading to enhanced stewardship and value creation.
Nelly’s journey in finance kicked off as a management trainee at EABL, laying a great foundation for her career. The two-year cross functional rotation programme gave her a deeper understanding of the business and the role each function plays towards the overall delivery of the business strategy.
In addition to this, she held pivotal finance positions in areas around supply chain finance, commercial finance, controls and governance, financial planning and reporting, business performance, and management. These diverse roles provided Nelly with a holistic understanding of finance within a large corporate environment, honing the skills necessary to navigate and manage complex financial operations with confidence and competence.
Nelly holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Strategic Management, and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Computer Science which has given her a unique edge in the increasingly data-driven world of finance. She is also a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K). She serves as the Chair of Unilever Pension Board.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Nelly is deeply passionate about mentorship. She believes in the importance of guiding the next generation of finance professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of the industry and the importance of future fitting themselves in a fast paced technological world. She also enjoys driving simplification and automation in business processes.
She recently participated in the second Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) roundtable, hosted in partnership with Finance Professionals KE at Strathmore University. The event, themed ‘Insights and Inspirations’, focused on the core attributes, skills, and experiences that define successful CFOs. The roundtable also delved into the challenges and opportunities facing CFOs in today’s dynamic business environment.
From navigating regulatory changes to leveraging data analytics for better decision-making, the discussions underscored the complexity and importance of the CFO role. Nelly’s contributions to the conversation reflected her deep understanding of these issues and her ability to lead in a rapidly changing landscape.
Nelly is happily married and a loving mother of three (two of whom are teenagers). She gracefully integrates the demands of her personal life with her professional responsibilities. Upon her current appointment, she expressed gratitude for the supportive environment that Unilever has consistently fostered, one that encourages employee growth and development.
Nelly’s ability to excel in all facets of her life is a testament to her resilience and determination, solidifying her reputation as a truly formidable force in the financial realm.
During her free time, she enjoys cooking, taking long nature walks and watching movies with her family.
