Kenya Airways has announced the appointment of Mr Sebastian Mikosz to the role of Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st June 2017.

Mr Sebastian Mikosz, a Polish replaces the outgoing Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mbuvi Ngunze who held the post for two years.

Kenya Airways had in November 2016, announced that the Group Managing Director and CEO Mbuvi Ngunze would step down in the first quarter of 2017 after over five years with the airline.

The airline later asked Mbuvi to stay on until a successor was identified and also to drive the complex capital optimisation program that we are undertaking.

Sebastian Mikosz has over 20 years of professional experience in executive management both in the private and public sector. He has also held various non-executive roles as Supervisory Board member. He has been CEO ofeSky.pl, the leading Central European Online Travel Agent, President and CEO of LOT Polish Airlines.

Sebastian, 44, started his career in 1997 with Arthur Andersen, Paris and later became the MD of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Poland. A graduate of the Institute of Political Studies (IEP Paris) in France with a Master's degree in Economics and Finance, he speaks Polish, French, English and Russian.

According to a statement signed by Michael Joseph, the airline's Chairman, Mbuvi will stay on beyond June as advisor to the company until the Capital Optimization plan is completed.

Following years of loss-making, Kenya Airways is in the process of restructuring to reposition itself as The Pride of Africa.