Standard Group appoints Naim Bilal Yaseen as Group CEO

The Standard Group PLC has appointed Dr Naim Bilal Yaseen as its substantive Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), following a competitive recruitment process that ends the latest leadership transition at the media organisation.

In a public announcement dated October 29, 2026, the Board of Directors confirmed that Yaseen will assume the position on November 1, replacing Chaacha Mwita, whose departure from the company takes effect on the same date.

The appointment also supersedes an earlier arrangement that had seen John Bundotich, the group's Acting Editor-in-Chief, appointed to take over as acting CEO from November 1.

Yaseen's appointment places an experienced media executive at the helm of one of Kenya's oldest media organisations, which operates The Standard newspaper, KTN, Radio Maisha, The Nairobian, Spice FM and Standard Digital.

In its announcement, the company said:

"Following the conclusion of a competitive recruitment process, the Board of Directors of The Standard Group PLC (TSG) has appointed Dr. Naim Bilal Yaseen, PhD, to the position, effective 1st November 2026.

This appointment supersedes the earlier appointment in an acting capacity, with Dr. Yaseen assuming substantive office with effect from November 1, 2026.

Dr. Yaseen brings more than three decades of experience in media, public institutions and corporate governance. He has served as Managing Director of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and as Director of Public Affairs and Communication at the Judiciary.

He holds a PhD in Communication Studies, a Master of Arts in Communications Policy, an MBA and a Bachelor of Laws, and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

The Board is confident that Yaseen will strengthen the Group's digital and commercial performance and uphold the editorial independence on which public trust in its journalism depends."

The appointment comes after Mwita's tenure as Group CEO, which began in an acting capacity in July 2025 before he was confirmed to the substantive position on April 1, 2026.

Yaseen brings a career spanning journalism, broadcasting, government communication, and institutional leadership.

He began his media career in 1989 as a reporter with the Kenya News Agency before joining the Nation Media Group, where he spent nearly two decades rising through the editorial ranks.

At Nation Media Group, he served as a reporter, editor, and News Manager in the print and broadcasting divisions. He was also among the founding editorial team involved in establishing NTV and the then Nation FM.

His experience in parliamentary broadcasting includes serving as Director of the House Live Broadcasting Project in 2009, an initiative that facilitated the live transmission of parliamentary proceedings.

The project was implemented under the Parliamentary Strengthening Project, which was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and co-implemented by the State University of New York in Kenya.

He subsequently moved into public service, serving in communication and information management roles within the government.

In 2012, he joined the Judiciary as Director of Public Affairs and Communication, where he was involved in developing communication strategies and strengthening public engagement with the institution.

His responsibilities included managing media relations, communicating judicial activities, and improving public access to information about the Judiciary.

He later served as Director of Information in the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology, overseeing government information services, including the Kenya News Agency and other public communication units.

In March 2019, Yaseen was appointed Managing Director of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), succeeding Waithaka Waihenya.

His appointment followed a competitive recruitment process in which he emerged successful from a field of more than 35 applicants. He subsequently took charge of the state broadcaster, bringing experience from both private and public media institutions.

Academically, Yaseen holds a PhD in Communication Studies from Moi University, a Master's degree in Communications Policy from City University in the United Kingdom, an MBA and a Bachelor of Laws degree. He is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

Yaseen's appointment comes amid a series of leadership changes at the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed media company as it navigates changes in the media industry and seeks to strengthen its commercial and digital operations.

Mwita's departure followed his appointment as substantive CEO in April 2026, after previously serving in an acting capacity.

Bundotich, who has more than 25 years of experience in print, broadcast and digital journalism, had subsequently been named acting CEO before Yaseen's substantive appointment was announced.

The Standard Group operates across newspaper publishing, television, radio and digital platforms, with its portfolio including The Standard, KTN, Radio Maisha, The Nairobian and other media brands.

The Board said Yaseen's appointment was intended to strengthen the group's digital and commercial performance while maintaining editorial independence.

The announcement was issued in accordance with the Capital Markets (Securities) (Public Offers, Listing and Disclosures) Regulations, 2023, which require listed companies to disclose material information to shareholders and the public.