Akhona Qengqe becomes the first black female to be appointed General Manager by Africa KFC

Akhona Qengqe has been named as KFC's first-ever black female general manager for Africa. On April 1, 2023, she will take over the position and succeed departing General Manager Dhruv Kaul, who is assuming the position of General Manager for KFC Pan Europe.

Akhona has experience in a variety of sectors, including retail convenience, real estate, marketing, and operations. She has also held the position of Chairwoman of the Board for the South African Franchise Association. Akhona began working for KFC in Africa in 2015 as the company's development director.

She was then upgraded to oversee the company's equity, inclusion, and belonging (EI&B) agenda. Then, in 2020, she was made Chief People Officer (CPO) for KFC Africa, and most recently, she was named Chief Development Officer.

"During the majority of her eight years at KFC, Akhona worked as a vital member of the company's leadership team in Africa. She collaborated closely with Dhruv and the team to secure both the company's long-term viability and the advancement of local women's potential.

In reality, she played a crucial role in the team's success in attracting diverse talent, as seen by the fact that 50% of senior leaders in Africa are now women, according to Sabir Sami, CEO of KFC International.

She has not only ascended the KFC ladder with dignity and rigour, but she has also assisted the leadership team in guiding the KFC company through a disruptive epidemic. Akhona has been a leader for the KFC Add Hope initiative and a supporter of ensuring that less fortunate people have access to wholesome meals, helping the team to mobilize and drive this.

Akhona established and launched KFC Africa's Women on the Move initiative, which was developed in 2021 as a revolutionary 12-month program. She is a fervent supporter of gender equity and female empowerment.

It provides women with the knowledge and resources they need to take use of their natural leadership abilities and drive local KFC business success. She founded KFC's First worldwide Community of Belonging (COB), a secure and fearless place where individuals can connect, belong, lead, and gain leadership skills by fostering an atmosphere of inclusion and belonging.

By bringing together the women's and LGBTQIA+ communities from all around the world, this program enables the company to collaborate with other leaders from across the world and be at the forefront of creating change for our people.