The KD Team

Yehdego “Bobby” Abeselom

Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Yehdego, better known to everyone around the office as Bobby, is the CEO of Keste Damena Industries. In his role, he oversees the strategic vision for the Company as well as all the core functions including sales, marketing, merchandising, finance, and operations. Mr. Yehdego joined the company as a business partner in 2007 with a dream of growing KD into the leading mattress retailer in the continent of Africa.

Yacob Abeselom

Chief Operating Officer
Yacob Abeselom is our lead Chief Operating Officer. As C.O.O, he leads our entire production division and oversees all operations and development here at Keste Damena. Yacob has a sharp analytical mind that is able to see problems before they arise. He understands the technology, the machinery, and is up to date on all advanced foaming developments in the market. Yacob earned his bachelors degree from Notre-Damn University in communications. Under his leadership, Keste Damena has seen great advancements in the field of foaming and beyond.

Haben Woldu

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Ms. Haben Woldu recently joined Keste Damena from Portland, Oregon where she was working for Wieden & Kennedy, an independent, creatively driven advertising agency with over 1000 employees. During her time at W+K she worked with some of the world’s biggest brands and some of the world’s most ambitious challengers. As Chief Administrative Officer, Haben oversees all financial transactions, budgeting, and our overall corporate office structure. She is an MBA graduate from Willamette University.

Tsega Asseffa

Asset Manager
Tsega (better known to the KD family as Mimi) is our Asset Manager. She ensures that all assets are properly logged and properly maintained. Mimi was the Manager at the world famous Jolly Bar and Grill right here in Addis Ababa for 6 years before she joined the Keste Damena team. Before that, Mimi was the regional manager at Starbucks in Washington D.C for 11 years. She has a very sharp organizational mind and knows where everything is and should be.

Hiwot Esayas

Corporate Finance Team
Hiwot is our Finance Manager at Keste Damena. She is an accounting professional with over 6-years of work experience with a strong background in accounting and a very strong command of the accounting principles within the foam-manufacturing sector. Hiwot earned her 1st degree from DebirBirhanUniversity in accounting and finance. She also recently graduated from with her MBA from Lead State University. We’re proud to have her in our finance department.

SEYOUM TSEGAY

Corporate Finance Team
Seyoum is our current Finance Lead. Seyoumhas slowly grown with Keste Damena over the years. He is great with numbers and understands accounting on the basic level and on the complex finance management side. Seyoum is a loyal employee who has made Keste Damena his home for over 14 years. Seyoum graduated with a BA in accounting from Addis Ababa University.

Robel Zelalem

sales & marketing manager
Robel is our marketing manager. He’s a very creative and dynamic young individual filled with ideas in marketing and branding. He earned his B.A Degree in Economics from Bahir Dar University and his Masters in Business Administration from Loadstar University. At Keste Damena, Robel is responsible for creating a strategy to market and achieve sales objectives by planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating advertising, merchandising, and trade promotion programs for all our KD products.

Bezawit Mulgeta

Franchise Manager
Bezawit (known as Beza for short) is our Franchise Manager. She handles all new potential KD franchisees and also ensures that all existing franchise stores meet Keste Damena standards and checks all quality metrics. Even though Beza has been with Keste Damena only a year, she has quickly proved to be a force for good within the KD team. We’re lucky to have this hard working strong woman behind us.

Defar Mualtu

HQ Internal Auditor
Defar Mualtu is our internal auditor. He acquired his BA degree in accounting from Nekemit University and has been working in different private and government organizations for over five years. At Keste Damena, Defar is responsible for all quality checks, both financial and production audits and ensures everything meets the highest standards.

Makeda Fikadu

Store Interior Designer
Makeda Fekaduis our lead interior designer at Keste Damena. Her department is responsible for designing new Keste Damena stores and showrooms through out the country. She is extremely creative and she and her team ensure that all stores maintain a similar look and feel at all times. Makeda earned her Bachelors of Science from Unity University in Architecture and urban planning.

Nebiyu Zekaria

Construction Team
Nebiyu (pictured to the left standing) is the Head of our Construction Department. He has a degree from Addis Ababa University in construction technology and management (COTM). Nebiyu is in charge of overseeing and leading a range of building and construction projects for all our KD branches. He ensures that everything is executed with quality and up to our standards from beginning to end, including setting-up and keeping tight schedules, monitoring finances, supervising and managing contractors and laborers at construction sites

Robel Abebe

Research & Development
Robel (pictured sitting to the right) is the lead industrial designer in our wood and furniture production division and also our senior research and development personnel. As the lead industrial designer he is responsible for researching, designing and developing new products using different wood materials. Robel has a B.S. in Architecture from Addis Ababa University.

Nebiyu G/Michael

Marketing Media Department
Nebiyu Gebremichael (pictured second from the left) is our Senior Motion Graphics artist and director at Keste Damena. He leads our media division in product design, motion design, and animation. Nebiyu graduated from DebirBirhan University in construction technology and management; however his passion led him to continue taking courses in motion and graphics design training, thus ultimately landing him in Rainbow Land.

Tinsae Yallew

Marketing Media Department
Tinsae Yalew (pictured on the far right) is our lead graphic designer and lead cinematographer for our marketing and media department at Keste Damena. He has more than five years of experience in graphic design and camera production. Tinsae is one of our happiest employees at Rainbow. His smile and laughter brings joy to many of his colleagues.

Yakob Birhanu

Marketing Media Department
Yakob Birhanu (pictured in the center) is our lead senior motion graphics designer in the Keste Damena multimedia and marketing department. Yakob is responsible forproduct visualizations, directing commercials, creating shot lists for videos and for all our photo-shoots.Yakob graduated in architecture from Addis Ababa University but his passion led him to pursue animation, visual effects, photography, film making and production design. We’re proud to have his creative talents in the KD team.

Daniel Mulatu

Marketing Media Department
Daniel (pictured in the far left) is in charge of our sound production. He handles all music and sound produced at the Keste Damena Multimedia and marketing division. Daniel handles all our radio production and radio marketing and store sound production. Daniel Mulatu graduated as a civil engineer in 2018 from Madawalabu University. Before joining Keste Damena, Daniel worked on gospel music, producing 10 different gospel albums.

Selamawit Fishatsion

HQ Customer Service
Selamawit(pictured to the left sitting) is a graduate in communications and a former renowned model. She worked with a wide range of clients in coordination and fashion consulting. She joined Keste Damena 3 years ago as a sales agent and quickly rose to the ranks of customer service manager. She is extremely friendly, kind, and very polite.

Daliya Mudesir

HQ Reception and Office Protocol
Daliya (pictured standing to the left) is our corporate receptionist and office protocol coordinator. She handles all coming calls and helps schedule corporate meetings with different departments. She also ensures each department has everything they need to carry out their tasks. She has a wonderful and positive personality as she welcomes all our guests in our head office. Daliya graduated from Admas University in Marketing Management.

Rahel Paulos

HQ Reception and Office Protocol
Rahel (pictured sitting to the right) is the secretary to our COO and replacement executive secretary to the CEO when needed. She is responsible for maintaining executive agendas and assisting in planning appointments, board meetings, and all our conferences. She is wonderful to have in the office and is very organized.