Kenya Airways (KQ) has appointed Captain George Kamal as its Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer following the exit of Allan Kilavuka.
In a statement on Tuesday, the airline’s Board of Directors said Kilavuka will proceed on terminal leave as his contract comes to an end, closing his six-year term at the national carrier.
“The Board and management of Kenya Airways express their sincere gratitude to Mr. Kilavuka for his diligence, service and leadership, and wish him every success in his future endeavours,” the board said.
Captain Kamal, who is currently the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, will take over the role with effect from December 16, 2025. The board said a competitive process to recruit a substantive CEO has already begun.
Captain Kamal brings more than 29 years of experience in the aviation industry across Africa and the Middle East. He has previously served as Operations Director at Air Arabia and as Chief Operations and Executive Officer at Iraqi Airways. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Aviation Management.
The board said it will fully support Captain Kamal during the transition period as Kenya Airways continues with its turnaround plan. The plan focuses on improving operations, growing the business sustainably and securing a strategic investor with the support of shareholders.
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