Allan Kilavuka is retiring as the chief executive officer of the Kenyan flag carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) after six years at the helm, marking the end of a tenure defined by crisis management, debt restructuring and a gradual post-pandemic recovery.
The KQ board has announced that Mr Kilavuka will proceed on terminal leave ahead of the expiry of his term in April, with the airline’s chief operating officer George Kamal set to take over in an interim capacity effective Tuesday as the recruitment of a substantive successor begins.
Mr Kilavuka has led the airline since April 2020, steering it through some of its most turbulent years and guiding it to a profit of Sh5.4 billion in 2024, its first in nearly a decade.
“Allan served with commitment, dedication, honour and diligence, steering the Company through the turbulent Covid-19 period which affected the aviation sector negatively,” the KQ board said in a statement.
“He subsequently oversaw the growth of revenues and freight volumes, reaffirming the operational viability of the airline.”
Before joining KQ, Mr Kilavuka was chief executive of the carrier’s low-cost subsidiary Jambojet from January 2019. Prior to that, he served as head of sub-Saharan Africa at aerospace firm General Electric.
His tenure at the national carrier was marked by upheavals that threatened the airline’s survival, including one of the most disruptive pilots’ strikes in 2022, the global pandemic-induced slump in aviation and, more recently, a severe shortage of aircraft parts that significantly constrained capacity.
Mr Kilavuka took over from Sebastian Mikosz, who resigned in June 2019 after less than two years in charge, citing government interference in the running of the airline.
Mr Kamal, who will take over from Mr Kilavuka on an interim basis, is a pilot and a seasoned aviation executive, holding a master’s degree in aviation management and a PhD in business administration.
Before joining KQ, he was chief operations and executive officer at Iraqi Airways.
He previously served as head of operations at Air Arabia, head of quality operations at Etihad Airways, and worked as a pilot at Etihad and EgyptAir, where he began his career.
“The Board commits to support Captain Kamal as he takes over the organisation’s executive leadership during this interim period,” the directors said.
