Kenya Airways names Kilavuka acting CEO as Mickosz departs

Jambojet boss Allan Kilavuka has been appointed as the acting KQ #ticker:KQ chief executive as the current office holder Sebastian Mickosz leaves at the end of the year.

In a statement released on Monday, the company’s board said the new CEO role will be effective January 1, 2020, until a substantive replacement is found.

“Allan will also continue his role as Chief Executive Officer of Jambojet during the interim period of recruitment,” the board said in a statement signed by firm’s Secretary Catherine Musakali.

“The recruitment process for a substantive Chief Executive Officer with the necessary experience and knowledge was initiated upon the announcement of Sebastian Mikosz’s decision to leave the airline at the end of 2019,” the statement continued.

“The process is still actively on going and the Board will inform all our stakeholders once a suitable candidate has been identified,” it read.

Early this year, Mr Mickosz announced that he will quit the company on December before his tenure lapse June next year.

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

Mr Mikosz was appointed KQ CEO in 2017 to turn around the ailing national carrier after he did a similar turn around with Polish flag carrier, LOT Polish Airlines as its CEO.

In July, Parliament voted a motion to nationalize listed airline Kenya Airways to save it from mounting debts that could set the stage for the buyout of minority shareholders.

The carrier posted a half-year loss of Sh8.56 billion.