Chowdeck, the Nigerian food delivery startup backed by Y Combinator, has made a significant move in its international expansion by appointing Henry Whyte as the head of its operations in Ghana. This strategic hiring is particularly noteworthy as it follows the company’s earlier recruitment of Umar Nas’ir, another senior manager from Bolt, who was brought on board to lead Chowdeck’s operations in Nigeria just ten months prior.
A representative from Bolt confirmed Whyte’s transition to Chowdeck but refrained from providing any details regarding his departure from the company. Chowdeck has not responded to inquiries seeking further information about this development.
Henry Whyte has been serving as the senior operations manager at Bolt Ghana since November 2021, as indicated on his LinkedIn profile. He began his career at Bolt in 2018 as a customer support specialist and steadily advanced through the ranks, becoming operations manager in 2020. In his new role at Chowdeck, Whyte will spearhead the company’s expansion efforts in Accra, where it will face competition from Bolt Food in the burgeoning food delivery market.
Umar Nas’ir, who was appointed to lead Chowdeck’s Nigerian operations in July 2024, brings a wealth of experience to the table, having previously managed Bolt Nigeria across more than 20 cities. His extensive background, combined with Whyte’s, provides Chowdeck with a formidable 13 years of operational expertise from Bolt, which will be instrumental as the startup seeks to broaden its scope beyond food delivery. Chowdeck also operates an asset-light last-mile logistics service, a model that Bolt has successfully implemented in both Ghana and Nigeria for several years.
This strategic hiring of talent from competitors is not a new tactic for Chowdeck. The company’s expansion lead, Michael Toyinbo, joined the team in 2023 after serving as the head of planning and performance at Jumia Nigeria, further illustrating Chowdeck’s commitment to leveraging experienced professionals from rival firms to bolster its leadership and operational capabilities.
