Jambojet Appoints New Managing Director and CEO

Regional low-cost carrier, Jambojet has appointed Mr. Allan Kilavuka as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer effective 1st January 2019.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Allan Kilavuka as our new CEO. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the Africa business environment and has successfully delivered high outcomes at lower costs and led in driving efficiencies and simplification in his previous roles. As a growing regional low-cost carrier, we are confident that he is the ideal person to steer Jambojet to the next level,” said Vincent Rague, Jambojet’s Board Chairman.

Mr. Kilavuka has over 23 years’ experience in leadership and management. He has proven success in new organization setups, change management, financial planning, integrations, process improvement, and company compliance.

Prior to his appointment, Allan Kilavuka served at General Electric (GE), where he was the Executive-in-charge of Global Operations for sub-Sahara Africa responsible for the strategic leadership in developing the shared service model and designing organization and structure. He has also held various senior roles in GE both in Kenya and South Africa.

He has a Bachelor’s of Commerce Degree from the University of Nairobi and also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychology from the University of Liverpool. He has trained at GE’s world-class Crotonville Leadership Institute in New York, the USA in Executive Leadership, Advanced Management, and Financial Management.

Mr. Kilavuka is taking over from Mr. Willem Hondius who has been at the helm of the airline since its inception in 2014.

“We are grateful to Mr. Hondius for his exemplary service and leadership that put in place the necessary building blocks for a strong and successful low-cost airline. We wish him success in his future endeavors” said Mr. Rague.

Mr. Hondius was instrumental in leading the introduction of Jambojet in the Kenyan market and revolutionizing air travel by opening up the skies for all to fly for less. Under his leadership, the airline has continuously grown their fleet after they recently announced the leasing of two new aircraft to join the Bombardier fleet of five.

Additionally, the airline has increased its frequencies across its six destinations to accommodate the growing demand for affordable air travel. In 2018, the low-cost carrier expanded their footprint by going regional through the launch of their Nairobi-Entebbe route and hit the 2.5 million passengers’ mark.