Control Union Kenya appoints Susan Mwangi as Managing Director
The leadership change comes as East African exporters face tighter EU rules on traceability and compliance.
KENYA – Control Union Kenya has appointed Susan Mwangi as its new Managing Director, marking a leadership shift at a time when agricultural exporters across East Africa face growing pressure to meet stricter European Union requirements.
Mwangi brings long standing experience in agriculture, with a strong focus on food safety, social responsibility, and sustainable farming. She has worked with Control Union for many years and previously served as a GlobalG.A.P Certifier, where she supported farms and agribusinesses to meet international sourcing and production standards.
As a Lead Auditor covering Good Agricultural Practices, food safety, and social responsibility, Mwangi has built a track record centered on integrity, compliance, and steady improvement across supply chains. Her work has supported exporters across multiple commodities as they align with buyer and regulator expectations.
Her approach extends beyond audits. Mwangi focuses on strengthening farming systems through collaboration, shared learning, and practical leadership that supports long term viability for African agriculture.
Jordi Meijer, Regional Director at Control Union, said “Susan’s appointment underlines our commitment to serving our clients with warmth, honesty and integrity. It also highlights our strong presence, not only in Kenya where we have offices in Nairobi and Mombasa, but in the whole African region.”
Expanding certification services in Kenya
Control Union Kenya provides certification services covering GlobalG.A.P., EU and Organic standards including E.U, USDA NOP, JAS, Rainforest Alliance, food safety schemes such as BRCGS and FSSC 22000, regenerative agriculture, and social standards including SMETA and GRASP. The company also conducts inspections across a wide range of commodities and offers pest management services nationwide.
Mwangi’s appointment signals continuity in how Control Union supports exporters as compliance demands increase across global markets.
Traceability risks raise stakes for exporters
The leadership change follows growing concern around EU trade rules. A recent analysis by Swiss AgriTech firm Koltiva warns that East Africa risks losing about US$3.0 billion in agricultural exports as the EU enforces stricter traceability and due diligence regulations.
According to Koltiva, only 15 percent of agribusinesses in the region show readiness for the EU Deforestation Regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Agriculture contributes over 32 percent of regional GDP and employs more than 80 percent of the population, with Europe absorbing over 60 percent of East African coffee exports.
Susan Atyang, Regional Program Manager at the Agricultural Business Initiative, said “Traceability enables competitiveness, market access, and financial inclusion.” She added that aBi assesses company readiness before supporting digital traceability systems, including returns, audited accounts, farmer coverage, and compliance structures.
As exporters face slowing EU purchases where traceability remains unclear, Mwangi’s leadership places Control Union Kenya at the center of efforts to help producers maintain access to key markets.
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