Nairobi, Kenya, October 2025 – Crown Paints Kenya Plc has announced the appointment of Mustafa Turra as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2025. With over two decades of international leadership experience spanning Africa, India, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Caribbean, Turra brings a wealth of global expertise to the role.
Prior to joining Crown Paints, he served as Vice President and Business Head at Olam Agri Nigeria, where he led Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest feed business. Known for his ability to drive business transformation and innovation, Turra is expected to steer Crown Paints into its next phase of growth, strengthening its leadership in East Africa’s decorative paint market. The Board also extended its heartfelt gratitude to outgoing Group CEO, Dr. Rakesh Rao, for his exceptional leadership and invaluable contribution since 2005.
Mustafa Turra brings an illustrious career of more than 20 years, marked by diverse leadership experiences across global markets. At Olam Agri, he successfully spearheaded operations in Nigeria as Vice President and Business Head – Soy Crush, Integrated Feed & Protein, overseeing one of the largest feed enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. His strategic acumen and project management expertise contributed significantly to the region’s agribusiness transformation.
Prior to this, he spent over 17 years with Asian Paints, where he held several key leadership positions across geographies. As Country Head – Asian Paints Causeway, he led Sri Lanka’s largest paints and coatings company, overseeing two manufacturing plants and a team of more than 350 employees. His leadership during the amalgamation of Asian Paints Lanka and Causeway Paints into a unified corporate identity showcased his ability to integrate teams and drive cultural alignment seamlessly.
Earlier, Turra served as General Manager and Director – SCIB Chemicals SAE in Egypt, Asian Paints’ largest subsidiary in the region. There, he led strategic transformations, revived key product categories, optimized working capital, and strengthened stakeholder engagement, driving profitable and sustainable growth. His tenure in Egypt is widely recognized for repositioning SCIB as a leading market player.
Before his leadership roles in Egypt and Sri Lanka, he was Managing Director of Berger Paints Jamaica and Barbados, where he turned around the company’s performance by achieving a 47% increase in sales and over sevenfold profit growth. His success earned him recognition among the Top 50 Caribbean CEOs by Business Suite Magazine for two consecutive years (2016 and 2017).
Turra began his journey with Asian Paints as Brand Manager – Royale Play, where he managed the portfolio of special effects paints and was instrumental in launching several successful product variants across India. His early work in brand development and marketing laid a strong foundation for his later achievements in global leadership and business transformation.
An alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur, Turra holds a PGDBM (MBA) in Strategic Management and Marketing, equipping him with both analytical depth and strategic foresight that have defined his professional journey.
About Crown Paints Kenya Plc
Established in 1958, Crown Paints Kenya Plc is the country’s leading paint manufacturer and has maintained its position as Kenya’s No. 1 decorative brand since 1986. The company operates a strong distribution network through its Décor World Showrooms, national dealers, and regional depots in Meru, Mombasa, Kisumu, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Crown Paints’ reputation for quality, innovation, and trust has fueled its consistent performance and growth. With a team of nearly 700 employees and a network of long-standing distributors—some with over four decades of partnership—the company continues to deliver superior value to customers across East Africa. Crown Paints is committed to shaping the future of the paint industry through technological innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric excellence.
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