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Meeting highlights
- Public-Private Partnerships & Sustainability: Kelly emphasized the importance of forging sustainable public-private partnerships across Africa, especially in light of declining global aid. She sees this as an opportunity for MNCs like Bayer to step in and co-create long-term solutions with governments and stakeholders.
- Strategic Importance of Africa: She positioned Africa and her region within Bayer’s Emerging Markets division as a high-growth, high-potential region. With projected double-digit growth and demographic expansion, Africa offers a compelling case for global investment, including initiatives like multi-mineral supplementation for maternal health.
- Championing Self-Care & Consumer Education: Kelly underscored the rising role of consumer self-care, noting that 80% of people seek pharmacy-based solutions before clinics. Bayer aims to empower this shift by educating consumers about preventative health and the value of everyday wellness products.
- Leadership, Talent & Culture at Bayer: She highlighted Bayer’s “dynamic shared ownership” model and hybrid work flexibility as key drivers for talent retention. Her 17-year journey at Bayer reflects a culture that values purpose, empowerment, and collaborative strategy-building.
- Purpose-Driven Legacy: Kelly’s personal mission is to make a difference—whether through improving one person’s life or inspiring her team to act with purpose. She hopes her legacy at Bayer is one of consumer advocacy and meaningful impact.
EF: What mission did you set for yourself when you were appointed?
KW: At Bayer, our overarching mission, “Health for All, Hunger for None,” guides everything we do, including our efforts within Consumer Health. In this division, we are on an ambitious “Road to Billions” journey, aiming to bring accessible self-care solutions to more people around the world than ever before. In Africa, this mission takes on even greater urgency and opportunity, which is why we’ve accelerated our efforts under the banner of “Highway to Billions.” This isn’t just a slogan, it’s a strategic commitment to scale up innovation, availability, and impact across the continent, ensuring that essential healthcare products reach those who need them most.
For perspective, we’ve partnered with a company called Reach52, which is very close to our hearts. We introduced them to Africa, where they ran a CSI initiative using a digital solution with community healthcare workers. At its core, it’s all about education. Through that, we’ve already made a big difference in nutritional health, and we’re building more awareness in the community about what it means to live healthier. It has been really exciting.
EF: With all the changes, geopolitical shifts, and constant conversations around tariffs, how do you see 2025 from your perspective and the current dynamics that you’re working with?
KW: From a South African perspective, we talk a lot about sustainability. Global funding has been cut, and that's pushed us to form more public-private partnerships. In some ways, it's made us step up and be more present in these partnerships. South Africa has lost a lot of HIV funding over the years, but as multinationals like ours look for ways to step in, it's been harder for other African markets. They don't have the same structures to fall back on, so they've felt the impact more than we have. Still, across the continent, there are signs of stability.
In Kenya, political unrest over the past few years has settled. Nigeria is the same; we've seen a lot of stable growth. And smaller markets like Ghana and Rwanda have really come to the forefront of accelerating their growth. From an African perspective, it has been a wake-up call as we can’t always rely on funding. We need to start thinking about ways to build sustainability and partner in ways that keep these public-private partnerships going. Even in difficult periods, there’s a unique opportunity to contribute and shape something with lasting impact. On the self-care association, which I sit on with Nicola, our key focus is ensuring the industry remains sustainable and continues to grow. For companies still operating in Africa, this is the moment to seek out those partnerships and make them work.
EF: How can we build trust between the public and private sectors to align goals and push healthcare forward together?
KW: The first step is bringing all the key stakeholders to the table. That can be difficult because ministers are busy, and sometimes there’s hesitation from the public side, with the typical stance, “We don’t need help from you.” But it really starts with having that conversation. We need to speak with the right people, specifically the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Health, so everyone understands what this means for the industry. Short-term and long-term goals have to be aligned.
At the same time, we need to look at ourselves and ask if we’ve been doing the right things so far. Maybe not always. So, it’s about getting on the same page and working out how to build long-term, sustainable partnerships that will shape the industry and bring in more investment. Across the continent, we see multinationals pulling out because of the challenges. For investment to keep coming in, it still has to be worthwhile. The question is: how do we build trust and create opportunities so people want to invest again in South Africa and across Africa?
We can see examples elsewhere. Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria are attracting more investment. When I was in Nigeria recently, I was struck to learn that the American embassy there is the largest outside of the US. It shows the level of attention these markets are getting.
Africa as a whole is a huge opportunity. By 2050, statistics indicate that at least a quarter of the world’s population will come from Africa. It’s an enormous expectation that comes with a massive opportunity. The focus needs to be on investment, on trust, and on making Africa a place where people want to spend their money. For that, we need a concrete plan that highlights the opportunities across the continent and makes them real.
EF: What is the strategic significance of the Eastern and emerging markets region to Bayer Consumer Health globally?
KW: From an African perspective, and specifically the eastern and emerging markets that I fall into, there’s still a lot of opportunity. Globally, most mature markets have reached their ceiling in terms of growth. They already have strong brand equity and trusted names. But in Africa, there’s still plenty of room to grow. If we look at the numbers, the expectations for the next five years in Africa are still showing high double-digit growth, which is very attractive for the region. The population isn’t stagnant, either; it keeps growing, which means there’s always something new we can do, new ways to create that growth.
When we talk about our Highway to Billions, the focus is on key categories that make sense in Africa, which may differ from our global strategy. For example, Africa’s population is projected to rise sharply by 2050. One project we’re working on now is multi-mineral supplementation for pregnancy. That’s a major need across the continent. We’re partnering with policymakers, private groups, the WHO, and the World Bank to see how we can make this investment work not just from Bayer’s perspective, but to meet a real sustainability need on the continent.
In some countries, it’s easier to move forward than in others, but maternal health is a clear focus. Our global team has already signed off on this project, which directly aligns with our strategy and our goal of reaching more people with meaningful self-care. It’s an exciting step, and we’re just getting started.
EF: How do you go beyond the portfolio you are working on to raise awareness and education about the importance of self-care and a proactive approach to health?
KW: From a consumer health perspective, our basket contains a wide range of products that serve as the first step in helping people stay healthy. Since COVID, there’s been much more awareness and education around self-care. And when I say self-care, I don’t mean bubble baths; I mean being aware of your symptoms and knowing how to treat them.
People want access to trusted places, whether that’s a pharmacy, a spaza shop, or somewhere familiar where they know they can get advice and something that helps right away. The data indicates that approximately 80% of people will visit an independent pharmacy or shop to treat themselves before consulting a doctor or clinic. A lot of that comes down to the pressure on healthcare facilities and the amount of time it takes.
In South Africa, for example, going to a clinic usually means losing an entire day, time away from work, family, and your own life. So, people are turning to quicker options where they can still get trusted advice and take action immediately, whether that’s to feel better today or to prevent getting sick tomorrow.
That’s where we fit in as a consumer health company. We focus on educating people about what it means to be healthy, what self-care actually looks like, and how small daily steps can make a big difference. Taking a multivitamin gives your body the support it needs now, so you don’t have to deal with illness later. It’s about encouraging people to look after themselves today so they don’t run into bigger problems down the line. You want your cup to be full now, because you can’t pour from an empty one once your health is already gone.
EF: How do you balance your priorities overseeing such a large region, and where do you identify opportunities for growth and opportunities to make a difference?
KW: Before I took over as country divisional head, which is equivalent to GM, I was already looking after all the African markets. That gave me the chance to work across most countries and really understand the nuances in each. Every market is slightly different, but you can't be everything to everyone. So we had to set clear priorities and build a matrix around where we wanted to focus first, and we've stuck to that strategy.
When it comes to ease of doing business, we've been deliberate about our priorities, deliberating on where we are as a company and where we want to go. South Africa and Kenya are our anchor markets. The next big markets, which we call high-risk, high-reward, are Nigeria and Ethiopia. We all know that if you're willing to invest, there's definitely a high reward, but it's a sensitive topic when it comes to global challenges, corruption, and the regulatory environment. So our approach has been to prioritize: where are the biggest categories, where are we already preparing, and where do we want to be? That's how we've set our focus for the next five years.
EF: Speaking for your region, how are you attracting and retaining the very best talent that the area has to offer?
KW: The vision and purpose of Bayer really resonate with people. We were even hiring during COVID, which was strange; some of us worked with colleagues for six months before ever meeting them in person. One of the things that makes us different is what we call dynamic shared ownership. It empowers people at every level to make decisions, even at the ground level. That makes us more flexible, agile, and competitive, while also allowing people to bring their whole selves to work within a clear framework. As a result, everyone contributes to our regional strategy; it’s not just leadership making decisions and passing them down. It’s shaped with our consumer at the heart of everything we do.
We have an incredible team on the ground. The passion, motivation, and empowerment are evident. I saw it clearly during our highway project, where we built a full business case in just four months. Because it was such a purpose-driven mission, the team’s energy and excitement were obvious; they truly wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.
Flexibility has also been key. While many companies still require five days in the office, we’ve maintained a hybrid model because we believe work should be measured by output, not presence. That flexibility has helped us retain talent.
We’ve also moved into a new open-plan office in Waterfall, which has created even more opportunities for collaboration. People genuinely enjoy the culture and environment here. I know colleagues who have left Bayer, only to return. Some have been with the company for a total of ten years, considering both their stints. We’ve also got many long-service award winners, people who’ve built their careers here. I’ve personally been with Bayer for 17 years, across different roles that have kept me inspired and engaged. I feel very fortunate to have had such a rewarding career so far, and I hope the team feels the same way about their own journeys.
EF: What are you most excited about right now?
KW: What excites me most, from a Bayer perspective, is our highway to billions. It's about unlocking the potential in this region with meaningful, purposeful products that give millions of people access to better health. No other company has come to us and said, "Tell us what you need, tell us what your consumers need, and we'll support you in delivering it." We have developed this from a country perspective that the Bayer board has approved. We are utilizing dynamic shared ownership to create value for our customers. I'm truly excited about this because it creates opportunities for the people.
EF: How would you like to be remembered for, and what would you like to have achieved five years from now?
KW: I always get stumped by this question because my legacy is that people are inspired, but also to make a difference, even if it's just in one person's life or one consumer's life. I want people to feel like they're part of the purpose that we are all working towards. At Bayer, I'd like to be remembered as someone who truly fought for consumers and inspired others to see that they weren't just doing a job, but contributing to a meaningful purpose.
