Kenya Airways Appoints Habil Waswani as Acting CEO

The Board of Directors of Kenya Airways appointed Habil Waswani as acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 15, 2026. Waswani, who currently serves as the Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance, succeeds George Kamal.

Kamal resigned from the position for personal reasons. He previously served as the airline's Chief Operating Officer for three years before stepping into the acting CEO role. To ensure a smooth handover, Kamal will remain with the carrier for a 30-day transition period that concludes on September 30, 2026.

The board credited Kamal with stabilizing operations and guiding the executive team through a turnaround strategy. Waswani enters the role with 24 years of experience in corporate and commercial law across the insurance and banking sectors.

This leadership change occurs as the national carrier continues its efforts to improve operational reliability and return to sustainable profitability. The board has launched a competitive recruitment process to find a substantive CEO and is simultaneously seeking a strategic investor.