Kenya Airways has restructured its top management, changing the reporting lines of different business segments, in a bid to strengthen its business amid continued financial and operational pressures.
The restructure, effected days after the airline’s acting CEO George Kamal resigned for personal reasons, will see at least four segments previously under the Strategy and Innovation division transferred to the Commercial division headed by Julius Thairu.
Ms Hellen Mathuka headed the restructured Strategy and Innovation division.
The four affected segments include the head of pricing and revenue management, head of network planning and alliances, head of media and public relations, and head of government affairs.
In an internal memo seen by Business Daily, the airline said the changes were part of an organisational realignment intended to make Kenya Airways more ‘competitive, commercially agile, and operationally excellent’. The changes took effect on September 7, 2026.
‘The management changes outlined below are designed to strengthen alignment, sharpen accountability, and accelerate delivery against our strategic priorities,’ KQ’s acting chief people officer Judith Maye said in the internal communication.
She said the consolidation was intended to create a more integrated approach to revenue generation, market positioning and stakeholder engagement.
The move effectively brings functions that directly influence how the airline prices its seats, deploys its network, manages its brand and engages governments and regulators under one commercial umbrella.
It is meant to bring more of KQ’s commercial decisions under Mr Thairu, the commercial manager, who reports to the CEO, and has been tasked with boosting the airline’s sales and marketability.
The airline said the changes would allow pricing, network, brand and government relations to operate as a ‘cohesive commercial ecosystem’, enabling faster decision-making and a more coordinated go-to-market strategy.
The airline also moved the head of fleet development from Ms Mathuka’s division to the technical division, a move it said will ‘ensure fleet planning decisions are closely integrated with our engineering, maintenance and operational readiness capabilities, enabling a more seamless approach to fleet lifecycle management’.
The managing director for cargo has also been moved from the strategy division to head a separate division that will report directly to the CEO, as the carrier capitalises on cargo growth to grow its revenues.
The restructuring comes at a critical point for KQ, which is seeking to improve its financial position by restoring aircraft capacity and pursuing fresh capital.
Insiders who spoke to Business Daily said Mr Kamal and his predecessor Allan Kilavuka had championed the disbanded work structure.
The structure, however, is said to have caused several frictions at the carrier, with the commercial chief said to have limited control over the departments meant to help execute his role.
Kenya Airways’ net loss for the six months to June 2026 jumped by 31.9 percent to Sh16 billion after its costs grew exponentially to a record level, due to the Middle East conflict.
The national flag carrier’s costs during the period surged by 12 percent to a record Sh97.7 billion, up from last year’s Sh86.7 billion, pushing up its losses from the Sh12.2 billion reported in the first half of 2025.
This was largely due to a surge in fuel costs, which rose to Sh29 billion, accounting for roughly 32 percent of its operating costs, up 66 percent from Sh17.47 billion, which was 22 percent of operating costs.
The airline’s revenues rose to Sh81.2 billion from Sh74.5 billion, supported by growing passenger numbers and demand on key routes, with several international travellers being rerouted through African routes amidst the Middle East shutdown.