Updated 10 November 2026
The Kenya Airways CEO is Habil Waswani, who has served as acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer since 15 September 2026. The airline’s board appointed him after Capt. George Kamal resigned from the role for personal reasons, and it says it is recruiting a substantive chief executive.
Based on Kenya Airways’ public announcement signed by chairman Kiprono Kittony on 1 September 2026, checked on 10 November 2026. We will update this page when the board names a substantive CEO.
On this page
Who is the Kenya Airways CEO now
Habil Waswani is the acting Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways PLC. Before the appointment he was the airline’s Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance. The board made the announcement under the Capital Markets (Public Offers, Listing and Disclosures) Regulations, 2023, which require listed companies to disclose leadership changes.
The appointment is explicitly interim. The board said it “has already initiated the process to competitively recruit a substantive holder of the position which is expected to be completed in the near term.” We found no announcement of a substantive appointment when we searched on 10 November 2026.
Habil Waswani’s background
According to the board’s announcement, Waswani is a corporate and commercial lawyer with 24 years of experience. He had worked at the airline for more than five years, leading its aviation, commercial and corporate legal work, and had earlier held roles at listed banking and insurance companies since 2004.
- Education: a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, and a Global Executive MBA from United States International University in collaboration with Columbia Business School.
- Professional bodies: member of the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya and the Institute of Directors of Kenya; he is a Certified Public Secretary.
- Recognition: named in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist for East Africa from 2024 to 2026.
Choosing the company secretary puts someone who knows the airline’s board, legal and regulatory work in charge during the transition. His predecessor came from the operations side as Chief Operating Officer.
Why the Kenya Airways CEO changed
Capt. George Kamal resigned as acting Group Managing Director and CEO “for personal reasons”, the board said. He had been the airline’s Chief Operating Officer for three years and then acting Group MD and CEO from 16 December 2025.
The board credited Kamal with stabilising operations as COO, leading the company through the leadership transition in December 2025, and leading the executive team in carrying out the airline’s turnaround strategy. He stayed for a 30-day transition, with a formal exit date of 30 September 2026.
The change came while the airline was working through its turnaround. The board said the strategy aims to secure operational reliability, return the airline to sustainable positive financial performance and meet its growth targets, with the full support of shareholders. Our reports on Kenya Airways’ half-year results and the government’s rescue plan cover the financial background.
Kenya Airways CEO timeline
- 16 December 2025: Capt. George Kamal becomes acting Group Managing Director and CEO.
- 1 September 2026: the board announces Kamal’s resignation and names Habil Waswani acting CEO.
- 15 September 2026: Waswani takes over as acting Group Managing Director and CEO.
- 30 September 2026: Kamal’s formal exit after a 30-day transition.
- Next: the board completes its recruitment of a substantive CEO.
Kenya Airways is one of several large Kenyan companies to change chief executive in 2026. Our new CEOs in Kenya tracker lists each change with a link to the company’s own notice.
What happens next
The board has not given a date for naming a substantive CEO, saying only that it expects to finish “in the near term”. When it does, Kenya Airways must publish another notice under the same disclosure regulations. Watch the airline’s corporate site and the Nairobi Securities Exchange announcements page, or check our tracker.
For investors, the main questions are whether the next CEO comes from inside or outside the airline, and whether the turnaround strategy stays the same. The board’s statement stresses continuity: it says the company “remains focused on the ongoing turnaround strategy”. For pay benchmarks across listed companies, see our page on CEO salaries in Kenya.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the current CEO of Kenya Airways?
Habil Waswani is the acting Group Managing Director and CEO, effective 15 September 2026.
Why did George Kamal leave Kenya Airways?
The board said Capt. George Kamal resigned as acting Group MD and CEO for personal reasons. His formal exit was 30 September 2026.
Is Habil Waswani the permanent Kenya Airways CEO?
No. He is acting CEO while the board runs a competitive recruitment for a substantive holder of the role.
Who is the chairman of Kenya Airways?
The 1 September 2026 announcement is signed by Kiprono Kittony, EBS, as chairman.
Prefer WhatsApp? Follow Business Radar on WhatsApp
Weekly, free. We only use your email for this newsletter and you can unsubscribe in one click. Privacy policy.
