Ethel Emma-Uche is the Managing Director of BRALIRWA Plc, Rwanda’s leading beverage company and a subsidiary of Heineken N.V. She was appointed to the role in March 2025, bringing more than two decades of international leadership experience within the Heineken group across Africa and Europe.
Before joining BRALIRWA, Emma-Uche served as Managing Director of IBECOR SA/NV in Belgium from 2022 to 2024, where she oversaw strategic supply-chain operations and business transformation initiatives across Heineken’s European network. Prior to that, she held senior leadership positions in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, including Head Brewer, Brewery Operations Manager, and Supply Chain Director — roles in which she championed production efficiency, safety culture, and people development.
Emma-Uche is widely recognized for her advocacy of inclusion and diversity in industrial leadership, emphasizing that diverse perspectives strengthen decision-making and business performance. She combines a deep technical understanding of brewing and operations with a modern leadership style focused on collaboration, sustainability, and local talent empowerment.
Her appointment to lead BRALIRWA marks a continued commitment by Heineken N.V. to fostering excellence and gender representation across its global leadership ranks.