Premium cigarette manufacturer and distributor, British American Tobacco Zambia (BAT), announced the appointment of Zoe Chisanga Chiliboyi as Acting company secretary following the resignation of Valentine Chola Kabonga who held the role for over 5 and half years.
“In accordance with Section 3.59 of the Lusaka Securities Exchange Listings Requirements (“LuSE Listings Requirements”), the Board of Directors of British American Tobacco (“the Company” or “BATZ”) (the “Board”) wishes to announce the resignation of Mr Valentine Chola Kabonga as Company Secretary effective 31 July 2019”, read a statement published on SENS issued by Godfrey Machanzi , CEO, on 9 August 2019 in Lusaka by order of the BAT Board. “Furthermore, the Board would like to announce the appointment of Mrs Zoe Chisanga Chiliboyi as Acting Company Secretary effective 31 July 2019”.
Prior to joining the cigarette company, Valentine had previous held the roles of Chief Financial Officer at United Bank of Africa for 3 years and Financial / Management Accountant at Development Bank of Zambia for 2 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. A holder of a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the Copperbelt University, Valentine is a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) of the United Kingdom and a fellow member of the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (FZICA).
Curiously, Valentine’s profile on LinkedIn indicated that he held a dual role as Financial Controller in addition to that of company secretary. Despite the SENS announcement only indicating him as company secretary, his role involved being a multifaceted employee of the company. “My responsibilities and deliverables require that I provide support to the entire business and the Board of Directors as Company Secretary”, read an excerpt from Valentine’s LinkedIn profile on his accountabilities at BAT in the role he held.” Key among my deliverables as financial controller is the responsibility for all Internal, Group, Board and Statutory reporting including the preparation of IFRS compliant year-end financial statements for external audit purposes”.
Being a company man, the board expressed gratitude for the more than 5 years’ worth of service. “The Board would like to express appreciation to Mr Kabonga for his valued contribution to the Company and wishes him well in his future endeavors”, read the statement from the CEO. “Additionally, the Board and Management of BATZ wishes to congratulate Mrs Chiliboyi on her appointment and wishes her the best”.
Valentine’s tenure in the BAT Zambia management team will be remembered for the bold decision that they made in opening up a manufacturing plant in Lusaka’s Multi facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) which has seen the company turn its fortunes around. Being a part of the decision that inevitably protected shareholder value will resonate him as he ventures into his next chapter.
For now, Valentine intends to enjoy his time away from the corporate world. “I am currently in Cape Town resting”, he said in a telephone conversation with Founder of Financial Insight “I enjoyed by time at BAT and learnt a lot from the legal side of the business and from my colleagues in the company secretary forums. I am considering pursing something in Law after some reflection on the same as this has been a passion for a long time. Overall it was a great experience.”
