Kenya Airways has appointed Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services Habil Waswani as its Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 15, 2026.
The appointment follows the decision by Captain George Kamal to transition from his role as Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, according to a message issued by Kenya Airways Chairman Kiprono Kittony on Tuesday.
Kittony said Kamal had played an important role in stabilising the airline's operations and guiding it through its latest executive leadership transition.
“During his tenure, he brought extensive aviation expertise to bear in stabilising the airline's operations and successfully steered the Company through the most recent executive leadership transition,” Kittony said.
The chairman expressed the Board and management's gratitude to Kamal for his service and wished him success in his future roles.
Waswani, who currently serves as the airline's Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services, will take over in an acting capacity as the airline continues its search for a substantive chief executive.
According to the airline, Waswani is a corporate and commercial legal practitioner with more than 24 years of multi-sectoral experience and has worked at Kenya Airways for more than five years.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and a Global Executive MBA from the United States International University in collaboration with Columbia Business School in New York.
The airline said Waswani is also a Certified Public Secretary and a member in good standing of the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya and the Institute of Directors of Kenya.
His professional career includes senior corporate governance positions in the banking and insurance sectors.
He has also been a multiple recipient of the Legal 500 GC Powerlist East Africa Awards since 2004.
The leadership change comes as Kenya Airways pursues a broader turnaround strategy focused on strengthening its operations and improving its long-term commercial prospects.
Kittony said the Board had already initiated a competitive recruitment process for a substantive Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, with the process expected to conclude in the near term.
The airline's leadership is also focusing on operational reliability, network and fleet optimisation, sustainability and growth, as well as identifying a suitable strategic investor.
The strategic priorities were outlined during the airline's recent Investors Brief, as the national carrier continues efforts to strengthen its position and improve its performance.
“The Board remains firmly focused on executing the airline's turnaround strategy, centred on operational reliability, network and fleet optimisation, sustainability, growth, and the identification of a suitable strategic investor,” Kittony said.
The chairman urged Kenya Airways employees to support the leadership transition and work with Waswani as he assumes his new responsibilities.
“Please join me in thanking Capt. George Kamal for his tenure and congratulating Mr. Habil Waswani as he assumes this role,” Kittony said.
He expressed confidence that the transition would be smooth and contribute to continued progress towards the airline's strategic objectives.
The appointment will take effect on September 15, with Waswani expected to lead the airline on an interim basis as the Board completes the recruitment of a substantive GMD and CEO.