Precision Air gets Tanzania's first female airline CEO
The first female CEO in Tanzania's airline industry has been announced.
Precision Air (PW) will be ushering in a new a chief executive, Sauda Said Rajab, who is set to join the airline on March 1. Rajab will be joining the company from Kenya Airways where she has served in different capacities for the last 23years and the most recent being the General Manager Cargo.
Rajab (49), a seasoned airline executive with a proven track record of performance, milestones and integrity, takesg over from Alphonce Kioko who is retiring voluntarily.
She joined Kenya Airways in 1989 as a management trainee. After her training she was posted to the reservation department where she rose through the ranks in various roles including; country manager – Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. General manager Kenya, area manager East Africa, regional general manager Europe, Americas and Asia and is currently the airlines’ general manager cargo operations. She is a graduate pf the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing an MBA at the Strathmore University. Her forte has been to be a change agent, and has brought positive change in all the areas she has worked in Kenya Airways.
Kioko, leaves after 10 years at the helm of the during which time he steered Precision Air to achieve significant growth. When he joined in 2003 the fleet consisted of two old ATR 42’s and a few smaller aircraft but now the airline has eight new ATR aircraft and tw0 Boeing 737-300 types. Passenger numbers grew from 200,000 to about million expected this year through a double digit annual percentage growth.
Every single year the airline made profits too. It became publicly owned in 2011. Revenues have grown from Tshs.20billion in 2004 to Tshs.163billion in 2011/2.
Precision Air is 60% owned by Tanzanians and 40% byKenya Airways.
Kioko said “My stay in Tanzania has been the most exciting times of my life – professionally and personally. I have enjoyed every bit of my life here in this beautiful county not forgetting the warmth of the people here”. He further noted “The success story of Precision as the leading Tanzania Airline is attributed to the goodwill and patronage from our customers and commitment of our staff. I will forever be part of Precision and I know I leave you all in good hands.”
Rajab said she is excited to be joining a successful homegrown airline and is ready to steer forward the way to keep the legacy that her predecessors have laid for her. “I am excited for this opportunity; I look forward to good times in this airline.” She said.
