Board of Directors
Executive Directors
Joseph Ramashala - Ag. Managing Director
Kiplagat Kiprotich - Finance Manager
Non-Executive Directors:
Eckhardt Vorster - Independent Non-Executive Director
Cosima Wetende - Independent Non-Executive Director
Stephen Maina - Independent Non-Executive Director
Ruth Ngobi - Company Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S PROFILES
Mr. Eckhardt Vorster (age 48) Non-Executive Chairman South African
Position: Chairman and Non-Executive Director since September 2024.Skills and experience: Mr. Vorster currently holds the position of Commercial Director for Linebooker Pty (Ltd) a South African Company. Prior to joining Linebooker Pty (Ltd) Mr. Vorster held various senior roles across the Linde Group (BOC’s ultimate holding company) including Managing Director for Afrox Namibia and Afrox Botswana and Director Filling & Supply Chain for African Oxygen Limited in South Africa. Mr. Vorster is an Accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration (Cum Laude) degree from the University of Stellenbosch.Key Appointments: Mr. Vorster does not hold any other directorships
Mr. Joseph Ramshala (age 56) Non-Executive Director and Acting Managing Director South African
Position: Appointed to the Board in September 2021. He is a Member of the Audit & Risk Committee and the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee.
Skills and experience: Mr. Ramashala is based at African Oxygen Limited, BOC’s sister Company in South Africa, and is the Director responsible for Emerging Africa with regional responsibility for general management, profitability, and new business development across a number of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. He brings to the Board a wealth of experience gained over twenty seven years in the industrial gas industry and Food and Beverage industries. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Law) from the University of Durban-Westville and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Business Management) from the University of South Africa.
Key Appointments: Mr. Ramashala holds directorships in BOC Zimbabwe Limited and Les Gaz Industriels Limited in Mauritius.
Mr. Kiplagat Kiprotich (age 37) Finance Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed Finance Director in October 2024.
Skills and experience: Mr. K. Kiprotich joined BOC Kenya Plc in August 2019 as Management Accountant and most recently Finance Manager. He has over ten (10) years of financial management experience in the Manufacturing Industry having held prior positions at Britania Foods Ltd and Almasi Bottlers Limited before joining BOC Kenya Plc. Mr. K. Kiprotich holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Accounting) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Key Appointments: Mr. Kiprotich does not hold any other directorships. He is a member of the Instituted of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.
Mrs. Cosima Wetende (age 49) Independent Non-Executive Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed to the Board in March 2016. She is Chairman of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee and a Member of the Audit & Risk Committee.
Skills and experience: Mrs. Wetende is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya practising as a Corporate/Commercial dispute resolution advocate, mediator and arbitrator and is a Partner in the firm of Kaplan & Stratton Advocates. She holds Bachelor of Laws and Master of Law degrees from the University of Nairobi in addition to a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Social Sciences. She is a Member of the Law Society of Kenya, the International Bar Association and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya Branch). She is ranked as a leading lawyer and dispute resolution practitioner in Kenya.
ey Appointments: Mrs. Wetende does not hold any other directorships.
Mr. Stephen Maina (54) Independent Non-Executive Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed to the Board in June 2018. He is the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Skills and experience: Mr. Maina is currently the Finance Director of Haco Industries Limited. Prior to this, he was the Managing Director and Principal Officer of AfroCentric Health Solutions Limited which provides health care and health insurance related consultancy services from 2015 to 2017. Between 2000 and 2013 he served in various Executive roles within the AAR Group including as Finance Director, MD Kenya Business and Group Head of Strategy. Mr. Maina is a Certified Public Accountant and in addition holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) Degree from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from United States International University (USIU).
Key Appointments: Mr. Maina does not hold any other directorships. He is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.
Position: Chairman and Non-Executive Director since September 2024.Skills and experience: Mr. Vorster currently holds the position of Commercial Director for Linebooker Pty (Ltd) a South African Company. Prior to joining Linebooker Pty (Ltd) Mr. Vorster held various senior roles across the Linde Group (BOC’s ultimate holding company) including Managing Director for Afrox Namibia and Afrox Botswana and Director Filling & Supply Chain for African Oxygen Limited in South Africa. Mr. Vorster is an Accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration (Cum Laude) degree from the University of Stellenbosch.Key Appointments: Mr. Vorster does not hold any other directorships
Mr. Joseph Ramshala (age 56) Non-Executive Director and Acting Managing Director South African
Position: Appointed to the Board in September 2021. He is a Member of the Audit & Risk Committee and the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee.
Skills and experience: Mr. Ramashala is based at African Oxygen Limited, BOC’s sister Company in South Africa, and is the Director responsible for Emerging Africa with regional responsibility for general management, profitability, and new business development across a number of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. He brings to the Board a wealth of experience gained over twenty seven years in the industrial gas industry and Food and Beverage industries. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Law) from the University of Durban-Westville and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Business Management) from the University of South Africa.
Key Appointments: Mr. Ramashala holds directorships in BOC Zimbabwe Limited and Les Gaz Industriels Limited in Mauritius.
Mr. Kiplagat Kiprotich (age 37) Finance Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed Finance Director in October 2024.
Skills and experience: Mr. K. Kiprotich joined BOC Kenya Plc in August 2019 as Management Accountant and most recently Finance Manager. He has over ten (10) years of financial management experience in the Manufacturing Industry having held prior positions at Britania Foods Ltd and Almasi Bottlers Limited before joining BOC Kenya Plc. Mr. K. Kiprotich holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Accounting) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Key Appointments: Mr. Kiprotich does not hold any other directorships. He is a member of the Instituted of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.
Mrs. Cosima Wetende (age 49) Independent Non-Executive Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed to the Board in March 2016. She is Chairman of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee and a Member of the Audit & Risk Committee.
Skills and experience: Mrs. Wetende is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya practising as a Corporate/Commercial dispute resolution advocate, mediator and arbitrator and is a Partner in the firm of Kaplan & Stratton Advocates. She holds Bachelor of Laws and Master of Law degrees from the University of Nairobi in addition to a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Social Sciences. She is a Member of the Law Society of Kenya, the International Bar Association and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya Branch). She is ranked as a leading lawyer and dispute resolution practitioner in Kenya.
ey Appointments: Mrs. Wetende does not hold any other directorships.
Mr. Stephen Maina (54) Independent Non-Executive Director Kenyan
Position: Appointed to the Board in June 2018. He is the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Skills and experience: Mr. Maina is currently the Finance Director of Haco Industries Limited. Prior to this, he was the Managing Director and Principal Officer of AfroCentric Health Solutions Limited which provides health care and health insurance related consultancy services from 2015 to 2017. Between 2000 and 2013 he served in various Executive roles within the AAR Group including as Finance Director, MD Kenya Business and Group Head of Strategy. Mr. Maina is a Certified Public Accountant and in addition holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) Degree from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from United States International University (USIU).
Key Appointments: Mr. Maina does not hold any other directorships. He is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.