Lucy Mbugua confirmed as Kenya Airports Authority MD

Lucy Mbugua has been confirmed as the Managing Director of Kenya Airports Authority for a term of three years.

Ms Mbugua had been serving in an acting capacity at KAA since August 2013 when she replaced Stephen Gichuki’s after he was sent on terminal leave. (READ: New bosses set to change face of public sector)

The appointment was announced by the chairman of the Board of Directors Prof Mutuma Mugambi after Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau approved the board’s proposal.

“Ms Mbugua emerged as the best candidate from over 50 candidates after an intensive interview process. Ms Mbugua has provided effective leadership at KAA over the last five months that she has been acting in the position and we have every confidence that she is the right candidate to drive the next phase of the expansion and modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the other airports across the country,” said Prof Mugambi in a press release posted on the KAA website.

As the managing director she is expected to continue overseeing the expansion of JKIA. Last year, President Kenyatta presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a Sh55 billion terminal expected to raise the airport's passenger capacity by an additional 20 million people. (READ: Uhuru kicks off building of Sh55bn terminal at airport)

Prof Mugambi said the appointment of Ms Mbugua was above board and due process was followed.

Ms Mbugua had previously served as the authority’s General Manager for Marketing and Business Development and before that was the Head of Marketing and Communications at Kenya Airways.

She holds a Masters of Business Administration in Aviation from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Sales and Marketing from Dayton Ohio, USA and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Nairobi. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Strategic Business Management from Moi University.