Allan Kilavuka: "When I took KQ job, my friends sympathised"

What a daunting job to be the CEO of Kenya Airways. To run an organisation that's earned the constant adjective ‘embattled’ by business writers.

What a challenging and trying time it must be for Allan Kilavuka, their current CEO, to walk through the shadow of predecessors, to trod gingerly over the graves of their ambitions and failures, and look for his own unique narrative.

To wake up every day and face cynicism and doubt but somehow keep the flame of hope alive through faith and experience from his past roles at Deloitte and General Electric Company as a senior executive.

However, you wouldn’t tell if he is pressured by these demands of the job from his demeanour, a true illustration of the Duck Syndrome.

You are 50, what’s currently defining this season for you?

It's a good season. I've got one grown-up [21] and two teenage daughters. [16 and 18] So that's my biggest assignment, raising my children, raising a family responsible in society.

And the big question is; how do I do it more effectively for the benefit of not just society but humanity? What more can I do?

How can I get more wisdom to impact society more through my children, and myself of course? Parenting changes with not just the age but the gender of the child.

It's not one that fits everybody else. It's the same with employees. People are individuals so you have to treat them as such, not as a group of people or as a number.

What happened to your nose, what's the story of that scar?

(Laughter) I was bullied when I was in primary school. Someone threw me off a double-decker bed. I was in boarding school from a very young age.

This guy intimidated me for a very long time before I asked myself, 'Why do I allow this guy to do this to me?' And I put a stop to it. Bullies are cowards, when you stand up to them, they fizzle but as long as they see that you’re fearful they will continue.

I understand that when you are bullied a lot when younger, you carry some of that into adulthood and it can manifest in different ways. Has it been the case for you?

It does stay with you but you need to deal with it because it can do two things. One, it can develop a lot of resilience and independence, which it did for me.

Or two, it can make you shrivel up and almost die, so to speak. Many people say I'm very calm when I have storms ahead of me, and I think that developed over time because of these kinds of things.

Two questions; why were you sent off to boarding school at such a young age? Secondly, how did that affect you since at that age children need close parental guidance?

I will just say there was a family situation, and to your second question, it impacts you because at that early age, you need your family around you to guide and love you.

In the absence of this, I don't think you develop well. You know, love is a gift. So if love is given, you have to receive it, but if you're not getting it, you don't have the benefit of receiving a gift and so you are unlikely to give it.

You give the love you have received but if you never received it when you were supposed to, you might not know how to receive it later when it’s given. Is that too philosophical?

I love philosophy.

(Laughter)

What is your love language?

You know those ones change as well, right? They change depending on age, circumstances, the person you are with and so on.

Of course, there are some dominant ones, which in my case are acts of service. But when I'm going through a difficult time I need affirmations and support most.

And then of course sometimes I'm trying to reciprocate to my wife who is the love of my life and whose language is quality time.

My children on the other hand are all over the place when it comes to this particular one.

It’s refreshing to hear someone describe their wife as ‘the love of my life’ in an interview.

Oh yeah. She's a cornerstone. We met on a bus in college. She was one year behind me in school. I think we were going for a trip.

I heard a burst of laughter at the back - she laughs a lot - so I turned to see who was this with that joyous laughter and I saw her and I liked her and I went to the back of the bus to talk to her.

We started as friends and then I don't know how it morphed into a relationship and a marriage that is 23 years old.

How do you maintain such longevity?

It's by the grace of God and being intentional. My wife goes way above her call of duty to support me. She says the same about me.

I feel like she bent backwards for me, even in my current role. It is the simple things like the words that she speaks, her encouragement, making sure that I have everything I need, asking me questions to find out where I need support, and praying for me. It could be very difficult for me if I didn't have her in my life.

From where do you get your most important affirmation?

From God. The truth is that you need an anchor and for me, my anchor is God and His word. His affirmation doesn't change but people’s affirmation does because they have expectations about you when you have challenges.

You know, there are many times when I've had friends who tell me all the nice things to my face but say different things about me to other people.

So if you are unstable, if you kind of rely on that for affirmation, you can imagine what that does to your personality.

I also have my wife's and my children's affirmations. I have what I call The 4Fs; faith, family, fun, and friends.

Do you have any anxieties about something you have not achieved?

That's actually an interesting question. In the past, I would be anxious about things I was not able to do. But now I'm more anxious about relationships, especially those I have not been able to develop.

For example, I lost a good friend recently and my biggest regret is I didn't spend enough time with him. This was someone who really added value to my life.

So my question is  always 'Why didn't I spend enough time with people who really matter?' My regrets now are not centred on things I didn't achieve but on relationships I didn't build.

I've been identifying and speaking to groups of men to help them grow [their relationships]. We meet every month to talk.

Is there something common that these groups of men want?

Yes. The biggest one is purpose. People confuse purpose with career and achievement. Purpose, in my opinion, me being a Christian, is something that God puts in your heart to improve yourself and humanity.

It could be something very noble like developing people,  it doesn't have to be building a $5 billion business as many people do, or investing in this and that.

That's how men think, right? They're hunters and gatherers. (chuckling) What's the next thing I'm going to hunt? They ignore the more important question. 

You must have heard this saying, 'We are not human doings, we are human beings'. It's a state, it's not an action.

You mention faith a lot, is that the same as being born again?

Yeah. I know those things are very confusing. The bottom line is acknowledging God as the anchor of your life, so submitting to Him.

I always see God as a father and a father can disappoint. Is there a time that your relationship with God was most tumultuous?

Of course, sometimes I have questioned why, if God is love, then why does he allow so much suffering in the world?

That’s the age-old question and why people rebel against Him. I have been disappointed and it’s okay to feel that way, especially when you are not as mature and clear in your understanding of Him.

I was in that space when I lost my dad under very tragic circumstances.

How was the relationship with your dad?

My dad loved me very much but at the same time, he was an African man who never said it. (laughs) But I know he loved me because he tried his best, within his abilities, to provide and to support.

And your mom?

I wasn't as close to her as I was to my dad. She died earlier than my dad before I got married.

You had other good jobs before coming here. And KQ comes with its own, uhm, colour. This job feels like having your neck on a chopping board. Why would you stick out your neck this way?

You know, when I took this job, most of my friends, and we've talked about friends, right, were asking me 'why?'

Instead of congratulating me, they would offer commiserations because of the difficulties of the job. It is in fact a difficult job but my argument is very simple; how does it fit in my purpose, in my thought process?

Kenya Airways is the only Kenyan company that is truly international. We have over 50 stations around the world and employ 4,000 people directly and maybe about 26,000 people indirectly.

The contributions that Kenya Airways makes to this country and to this continent are quite significant. So it's a very humbling responsibility for me to come and help support this airline.

How does your faith sit with the whole politics of running an institution like this?

The Bible says, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ That rings true even in this job.

You need to distinguish between politics and facts. If people trust you they will believe you because you meant well.

There's one thing I said when I took this job. I said, 'I will make mistakes, but my intentions will always be pure'.

What have you learnt over time about money and how is your relationship with money?

Money is neutral. It sits there, looks at you, and then you decide what you want to do with it. (laughter) Going back to the Word of God it says it [money] solves all the world's problems.

At the same time, it's the source of all evil. But money in itself is neutral, so you can make it a little god, or you can make it a servant. It just depends on what you want to do with it.

When did you go through the biggest storm of your life?

I think I mentioned this family situation and I feel like I'm not being very open, which I don't like. But because this is a big audience, I don't know, it might have an impact on other family members.

So I can’t get into details of this family situation that made me go through some difficulties. That was my biggest storm. The second is the death of my father and mother.

Do you think your relationship with your mom, whatever it was, affected the person you are today?

You know, I'll be honest, I spent a lot of time in boarding school and not as much time with my mother. I think if I had spent more time with my mother I would probably be softer. I'd probably be gentler, there would be some finesse in some of the things I do.

Is there any particular character in the Bible that you most identify with?

(Chuckles) The Apostle Peter, he's a very interesting character. Peter means well. He's very passionate but he's very impulsive.

He makes decisions before he thinks and so Jesus keeps telling him to watch his step. He swore curses on himself and said 'I'm not going to betray Jesus'. And I think he meant it.

But it means that he did not know himself well enough, because he betrayed Him. And then after the betrayal he thought to himself like, 'How did I do that?'

I find him very interesting, and I have to keep checking myself to say, 'Are you sure, have you really thought about this? In another instance for example when Jesus asks him do you love me three times? And in the end, the last question, he felt offended.

But Jesus was trying to check on him. So I believe that the message here to Peter is always don't be too sure about yourself.

Are you sure about yourself?

Not always. That's why I rely on God.

What's your extravagance right now?

Sports, mainly football but I also watch rugby…I watch any interesting sport.

How has this office changed you?

That's really an interesting question. I wish that question you'd ask my wife or someone else who is closer to me but remember I mentioned Peter?

I have tried my best to remain me. What I try to do is separate Allan from the CEO. In fact, I discourage people from calling me CEO because that's not my name.

When you separate those two it's easier for you because if something happens to Kenya Airways, it has happened to Kenya Airways, not to me.

Yes of course I am the leader and I take responsibility but as the CEO. But Allan remains Allan.

What are you currently unlearning?

(Chuckles) Wow. [pause] That you don't always have to have excuses. It's okay to say it as is. You don't have to have excuses all the time.

Aisle seat or window seat? And why?

Aisle seat because the window seat is difficult for you to get out when you need to go out and stretch. [Chuckle]

And because you are here, lay this battle to rest; who owns the armrest? What's the general rule of armrests?

(Chuckles) The bigger guy. (laughter). I mean, if you are big enough to fill the seat, I think by default you'll have it. But on the other hand, the person who gives up the armrest is the gentleman.

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