Kantar announces leadership changes for its West, East and Central Africa business

After more than 18 years with the region, Susannah Patton is taking up a new role with Kantar's UK business, as leader of the Alcohol & Tobacco Industry group, continuing her journey at Kantar. As chief commercial officer for West, East and Central Africa, and head of the Africa Insight business, Patton has been a results-driven, people-focused leader whose FMCG and brand strategy expertise helped accelerate growth and deepen client impact across the region. We wish her well in her new role.

Astrid Ricketts has been appointed head of Kantar Africa Insight, succeeding Susannah Patton as the business enters its next chapter of growth. Ricketts returns to the team where her Kantar journey began 17 years ago, and where she played an instrumental role in building Kantar Africa Insight alongside Patton. Over her career, she has held a range of senior leadership positions across client management, brand strategy, business development and commercial leadership, and most recently as sustainable transformation practice lead for Middle East, Africa & Türkiye.

Bringing a combination of strategic client leadership, commercial rigour and entrepreneurial thinking, Ricketts has more than 20 years of experience helping organisations navigate complexity and unlock growth opportunities across diverse and dynamic markets. She will report to Daniel Oseman, managing director, WECA.

Maria da Serra has been appointed chief commercial officer, WECA. Da Serra is a specialist in consumer, innovation and product research, with over two decades of experience working with FMCG businesses, alongside broad cross-sector strategic consultancy. With significant leadership and strategy experience, and most recently as senior client partner and commercial growth director at Kantar, she combines deep client, consulting and agency-side perspectives with a passion for developing brands, products and services that people love and that help businesses grow. She will report to Daniel Oseman, managing director, WECA.

Commenting on the appointments, Daniel Oseman said: "Please join me in congratulating Susannah on her new role in the UK, and Astrid and Maria on their well-deserved appointments. As brands rethink how intelligence drives growth in an AI-accelerated landscape, I'm confident Astrid and Maria will help our clients turn deeper intelligence into sharper decisions and real commercial impact across the region.”

All appointments are effective 1 September 2026.

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