Where is Dr. Titus Naikuni heading to when he retires from Kenya Airways?

Titus Naikuni will, according to information just received, become chairman of Rift Valley Railways in November this year, when he retires from national airline Kenya Airways after serving for 13 ½ years as Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director.

Dr. Naikuni will be heading a re-constituted board of directors after Qalaa Holdings, formerly known as Citadel, acquired the majority of the shares after acquiring the shares previously held by Centum of Kenya.

Dr. Naikuni brings with him some very substantial private and public sector experience, having served, among many other positions, as CEO of Magadi Soda and as Permanent Secretary for Transport and Communication in the Moi government ‘Dream Team’ which was constituted on pressure of the World Bank at the time to reform Kenya’s public sector.

RVR’ new managements team which was brought on board after finally ending shareholder wrangles which had literally hamstrung the company’s operation, had upon the departure of Sheltam of South Africa and their disruptive board members began to turn the fortunes of the company around. An investment programme worth nearly 290 million US Dollars is now in its second year and has seen major rehabilitation work on the most disruption prone sections of the rail line in Kenya and Uganda completed, the line from Tororo to Gulu and Pakwach made operational again and major logistics innovations launched, all of which has cut the journey time from the port of Mombasa to Kampala by several days. The company, which recently launched fully automated rail and track maintenance equipment, is also expecting some 20 brand new GE locomotives with delivery starting next month and is in the process of significantly raising the rolling stock of wagons to improve cargo uplift capacity.

As the announcement was made in Nairobi did Dr. Naikuni briefly comment on this development: ‘RVR’s recent achievements together with the full funding of its investment and growth plan mean it is now uniquely positioned to become a high performing railway network that can spur trade and economic growth in the region. I am excited about this opportunity to work with the board and staff to build a robust and efficient rail transport solution which is the backbone of a thriving economy’.

The chairman of majority shareholder Qalaa Holdings, Mr. Ahmed Heikal, added his own views when he said: ‘To have such a seasoned and transformational business leader chair the RVR board is a big win for the company. His insights and vast transport sector experience will be invaluable in helping RVR realise the potential of the ambitious investment and growth programme it has embarked on’.