Online Reporter
THE Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) is proud to officially announce the appointment of Mr Emmanuel Matsvaire as its chief executive officer (CEO).
A seasoned agricultural expert and visionary leader, Mr Matsvaire brings to the helm a distinguished track record in agribusiness, strategy and sustainable development, making him suitable to lead the tobacco sub-sector into a new era of innovation and growth.
His journey is grounded in both academic rigour and hands-on expertise. He holds several advanced degrees that reflect his commitment to interdisciplinary excellence and continuous learning. These are:
BSc (Honours) in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (Land and Water Resources Management, 2007);
MSc in Agribusiness (Africa University, 2015);
BSc (Honours) in Operations Research and Statistics (National University of Science and Technology, 2014);
MSc in Development Economics (Bindura University, 2019);
PhD candidate in Agricultural Economics (University of Zimbabwe)
His doctoral work focuses on marketing systems for flue-cured tobacco in the small-scale farming sub-sector, an area of national strategic importance.
Appointed chief operating officer in April 2022 and acting chief executive officer in August 2022, Mr Matsvaire has already led TIMB to significant achievements:
Overseeing Zimbabwe’s highest-ever tobacco production: 300 million kilogrammes in 2025;
Launching the inaugural World Tobacco Africa Expo, positioning Zimbabwe as a global tobacco hub;
Introducing gas curing technologies and afforestation initiatives, championing environmental sustainability;
Strengthening child labour eradication frameworks, upholding ethical and responsible farming standards
Mr Matsvaire brings over 16 years of experience across agricultural development, operations research, policy design and stakeholder engagement.
His leadership has been marked by:
Digital transformation — including biometric grower registration and digitised export/import systems;
Value chain localisation — promoting local beneficiation to retain value within Zimbabwe;
Farmer empowerment — driving inclusive growth through social impact programming and capacity-building
Now confirmed as CEO, Mr Matsvaire embodies a new chapter for TIMB, one focused on:
Sustainability and resilience;
Technology-driven service delivery;
Data-informed regulation and strategic planning;
Farmer-centric development
His leadership is rooted in Zimbabwean values, guided by data and driven by an unrelenting commitment to transforming the tobacco sub-sector into a more prosperous, ethical and globally competitive industry.
TIMB congratulates Mr Matsvaire and looks forward to continued progress under his stewardship.
