Kenya Airways CEO Resigns After Eight Months in Office
Kenya Airways announced leadership changes on Sept. 1, with Acting Group Managing Director and CEO George Kamal stepping down after less than one year in the role.
Kamal told Aviation Week that his sudden departure, after just eight months as chief executive, stemmed from a “family compassionate situation.” He will remain with the airline through a 30-day transition period, with his formal exit set for Sept. 30.
Kamal had spent three years as Kenya Airways’ COO before becoming acting group managing director and CEO on Dec. 16, 2025, following the departure of his predecessor Alan Kilavuka.
Kamal’s aviation career also includes stints at Air Arabia and Iraqi Airways.
Kenya Airways’ Board of Directors has named Habil Waswani as the next acting CEO, effective Sept. 15. Waswani is currently the airline’s company secretary and legal services and regulatory compliance director. Waswani brings more than 24 years of corporate and commercial legal experience and has been with Kenya Airways for over five years. He will serve while the board searches for a permanent CEO.
Kenya Airways’ leadership transition arrives as it grapples with mounting financial pressure. The airline reported a pre-tax loss of 15 billion Kenyan shillings ($116 million) for the first half of 2026, up from a 12-billion-shilling loss in the same period last year.
The carrier pointed to volatile fuel prices as a major driver of the widening losses, alongside supply chain issues.
Kenya Airways said it remains committed to its turnaround strategy, prioritizing operational reliability, a return to sustainable profitability and its longer-term growth targets.
According to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation Fleet Database, the airline’s fleet currently consists of two Boeing 737-300Fs, nine 737-800s (one inactive), two 737-800Fs, one 777-300ER, nine 787-8s (two inactive), and 12 Embraer 190s (five inactive). Kenya Airways has no aircraft currently on order.
