Former Kenya Airways CEO Sebastian Mikosz joins IATA

Former Kenya Airways #ticker:KQ chief executive Sebastian Mikosz has been appointed as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) senior vice president for member and external relations.

The Polish national quit the national carrier last December, six months before expiry of his tenure.

He cited ‘personal reason’ for his early departure in a memo to staff.

Mr Mikosz will now take over from Paul Steele, who retired from IATA in October last year. IATA’s chief economist Brian Pearce has been doubling up as the VP on an interim basis.

“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Sebastian Mikosz will join IATA as the Association’s Senior Vice President for Member and External Relations, effective 1 June 2020,” said IATA’s director-general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac in a statement on Monday.

“At IATA, Mikosz will lead the organisation’s global advocacy activities and aero-political policy development, along with managing the association’s strategic relationships,” he added.

Prior to joining KQ in 2017, Mr Mikosz was CEO of Poland’s largest online travel agency, the eSKY Group, between 2015 and 2017 and Polish flag carrier, LOT Polish Airlines, from 2009 to 2015.