Johnvents Foods Limited has named Peter Otu as Managing Director of its FMCG Downstream business, entrusting him with the responsibility of driving the company’s strategic direction, commercial growth, operational performance and market expansion.

Otu brings more than 17 years of experience at Nestlé, where he held several commercial and leadership positions across Nigeria, Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with additional exposure in South Africa. His career spans sales management, modern trade, key account management, e-commerce, digital transformation and business development.

At Johnvents, he is expected to leverage this experience to strengthen business performance, profitability, operational excellence and strategic growth opportunities across Africa, North America and Europe. His responsibilities also include business transformation, strategic partnerships and developing high-performing teams.

His elevation follows his brief tenure as Sales Director at Johnvents between September and November 2026. In that role, he led national sales strategy, market penetration, revenue growth and profitability across FMCG categories, while focusing on distributor networks, retail expansion, modern trade, alternative sales channels and working capital efficiency.

Over and ocer again, it has been nothing but a career built on commercial excellence. Otu’s professional journey at Nestlé began in February 2009 as Field Sales Manager, where he developed experience in territory management, retail coverage, distribution expansion and sales force development.

In 2011, he became Branch Alternative Trade Channel Manager, expanding business relationships with government institutions, cooperatives, corporate organisations, schools and non-governmental organisations.

He subsequently served as Modern Trade Manager, South West Branch, from 2012 to 2016. During this period, he designed and implemented Nestlé’s AVA strategy for the channel, contributing to the achievement of market share objectives. Under his leadership, channel performance grew by 600 per cent, while channel contribution increased by 400 per cent over four years. His performance also earned him repeated recognition.

In 2014, he undertook a seven-month Category Account Manager assignment in Johannesburg, South Africa, adding international category management experience to his commercial background.

He later served as National Key Account Manager, strengthening relationships with major customers through joint business plans, visibility programmes and sustainable financial partnerships. From 2017 to 2019, he also handled key account and e-commerce responsibilities, supporting the development of national customer plans and the expansion of Nestlé’s online business.

His leadership responsibilities increased in 2019 when he became Acting Head of Modern Trade Business. Following this, he assumed the substantive position in September 2020, overseeing business strategy, category and customer development, e-business opportunities and team capability.

During this period, he focused on strengthening customer relationships, improving sales effectiveness and developing the channel’s capacity to respond to changes in retail and digital commerce.

Moving into project leadership in April 2023, Otu became Sales Project Manager, Nigeria, where he drove route-to-market optimisation through Nestlé’s Sales Recommendation Engine. The technology used machine learning to support predictive daily loading, dynamic routing and outlet sales recommendations, helping improve distribution planning and field execution.

He also supported the integration of Nestlé Waters into the sales organisation and the acceleration of the company’s EB2B business through approaches tailored to urban and rural markets.

Another important responsibility was the Nestlé Rural Retail Women Empowerment Initiative, which supported rural families with grants and business development skills, linking commercial development with entrepreneurship and economic participation.

His next assignment took him to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he served as Sales Operations Manager from April to September 2024. A major achievement during this period was the implementation of a Sales Force Automation System, which improved sales tracking, field coordination, retailer engagement and data accuracy. He also worked on distribution network optimisation and team development.

From October 2024 to September 2025, he served as National Sales Manager in Burkina Faso, leading efforts to grow categories, improve market share, strengthen business partnerships and enhance route-to-market efficiency.

Upon returning to Nigeria in October 2025, he became Nigeria Sales Project Lead, a role focused on integrating commercial strategy, digital enablement and execution governance. He promoted the use of structured operating systems, data and technology to strengthen business performance and organisational effectiveness.

Beyond his commercial record, Otu’s leadership philosophy places considerable emphasis on continuous improvement and recognising people’s contributions.

A believer in the 1 per cent improvement principle, he maintains that sustainable success is built through consistent progress rather than dependence on major breakthroughs.

He has identified recognising quiet contributors across teams and business functions as one of his personal improvement priorities, noting that appreciation can lift morale and reinforce inclusion within an organisation.

His commitment to leadership development was also reflected in his participation in the Nestlé Commercial Leadership Programme at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, following his assignment in Burkina Faso. The programme broadened his perspective on leadership beyond functional responsibilities and geographical boundaries, reinforcing the importance of vision, courage and meaningful impact.

With his move to the top role in Johnvents Foods’ FMCG Downstream business, Otu brings together extensive commercial experience, international exposure and a track record in sales development, technology adoption and business transformation. With this, no doubt, his new responsibility places him at the centre of the company’s efforts to strengthen profitability, expand markets, improve operational performance and build sustainable business growth.