Kenya Airways (KQ) has entered a new leadership transition phase as its long-serving Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Allan Kilavuka, proceeds on terminal leave ahead of the expiry of his contract, with Chief Operating Officer Captain George Kamal appointed as Acting CEO.
The move, announced in line with Capital Markets regulations, marks the close of a six-year tenure that coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in global aviation history and sets the stage for the airline’s next strategic chapter.
Terminal leave means Kilavuka has formally exited day-to-day executive duties while remaining an employee until his contract lapses. Operational and strategic control has now shifted to Captain Kamal, an aviation executive with close to three decades of experience across African and Middle Eastern markets.
The board has confirmed a competitive process to appoint a substantive CEO is underway, even as it maintains focus on completing Kenya Airways’ turnaround strategy and securing long-term operational stability, sustainability, and growth.
Kilavuka’s tenure began just before the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated global air travel and placed extraordinary strain on airlines’ balance sheets. For Kenya Airways, the crisis compounded longstanding financial and structural challenges.
Passenger revenues collapsed, borders closed, and fleet utilisation dropped sharply. Under these conditions, the airline moved aggressively toward cargo operations, leveraging Nairobi’s position as a regional logistics hub.
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Cargo volumes and revenues became a critical lifeline, helping to sustain operations and preserve key international routes when passenger traffic was subdued.
As travel gradually recovered, Kenya Airways implemented wide-ranging cost controls, network optimisation measures, and operational reforms under its turnaround programme.
These efforts culminated in a major financial milestone in the 2024 financial year, when the airline reported an after-tax profit of Ksh.5.4 billion, its first full-year profit in more than a decade and a dramatic reversal from the KSh 22.6 billion loss recorded the previous year.
The turnaround was driven by higher revenues, improved operating efficiency, stronger cargo performance, and favourable foreign-exchange rates.
The period also saw improvements in operational reliability, stronger engagement with lenders and government stakeholders, and renewed confidence among partners and suppliers.
While Kenya Airways remains highly leveraged and exposed to global fuel prices, currency volatility, and competitive pressures, the return to profitability significantly altered its risk profile and strengthened its investment narrative.
Captain Kamal’s operational background is expected to support day-to-day performance as the board advances plans to attract a strategic investor and consolidate recent gains.
The new face at the airline’s helm implies consolidating the gains made thus far, with recent financial results offering a more credible platform for long-term capital engagement.
