Fan Milk, a subsidiary of Danone, has appointed Lio Parent as Managing Director for West Africa, expanding his leadership responsibilities across the company’s operations in the region.
In this new role, Parent will lead Fan Milk’s multi-country business across West Africa with full profit-and-loss responsibility. His oversight includes key markets such as Ghana and Nigeria, alongside the company’s expansion efforts across Francophone West Africa.
Fan Milk Ghana Stint
The appointment follows a highly successful tenure as Managing Director of Fan Milk Ghana, a position he held between January 2024 and December 2025. During that period, Parent led the turnaround of the listed consumer goods company, reversing five consecutive years of decline and delivering more than 110% net sales growth, alongside significant margin improvement and strong cash generation.
His leadership earned industry recognition when he was named CEO of the Year at the Ghana Manufacturing Awards in 2025.
Parent brings nearly two decades of international leadership experience across consumer goods, dairy, beverages, and spirits businesses.
Before leading Fan Milk Ghana, he served as Commercial and Digital Transformation Director for Fan Milk Plc within the Danone Group, managing a portfolio with annual turnover of approximately €500 million. In that role, he oversaw categories including dairy, carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, fruit juices, and cheese while leading a team of more than 500 employees.
Parent also held the position of Global Sales Director for Route-to-Market and Digital Transformation at Danone, based in Paris. He was responsible for transformation projects across major international markets including Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Poland, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Japan.
Earlier in his career, he served as Sales Director for Africa at Danone, where he managed commercial operations across traditional trade, modern retail, and pharmacy channels covering baby food, dairy, and ice cream products.
Other Roles Held
Outside Danone, Parent has held senior leadership positions at several multinational companies. He served as General Manager at William Grant & Sons between 2013 and 2017, overseeing more than 15 markets across Africa and the Middle East with full P&L responsibility. During that period, he led operations in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ghana as part of the company’s regional leadership team.
He also worked as Country Manager for Pernod Ricard in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was a member of the Africa Leadership Team, and previously held finance roles at L’Oréal and General Electric.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Parent currently serves as a Board Member of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ghana (CCI France Ghana) and as Vice President of the French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF) in Ghana.
Alongside Parent’s appointment as Managing Director for West Africa, the company announced the promotion of Carelle Manket Olympio to Finance Director for West Africa, with oversight of the company’s finance operations across the region, including Nigeria. Olympio will be responsible for driving financial performance, governance, and strategic planning as Fan Milk continues to expand its presence in key markets.
The company also appointed Ayodeji Adewale as Sales Director for West Africa, entrusting him with responsibility for leading sales operations and commercial execution across the region, including Nigeria. Adewale is expected to play a key role in strengthening route-to-market capabilities, deepening customer engagement, and driving revenue growth across Fan Milk’s portfolio.
