By Brian Okoth
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir, has been appointed the Chairperson of the IATA Board of Governors for a period of one year, effective June 5, 2023.
Makolo’s appointment was announced during the 79th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The Rwandese national becomes the 81st chairperson of IATA Board of Governors and the first woman to assume the role.
Makolo, who has been on the IATA Board of Governors since November 2020, succeeds Mehmet Tevfik Nane, the Chairperson of Pegasus Airlines which is headquartered in Türkiye.
Nane will continue to serve on the IATA Board of Governors.
In her acceptance speech on Monday, Makolo said she was “honoured and pleased” to take on the role.
“IATA plays a critical role for all airlines — big and small, various business models, and in all corners of the world. Leading a medium-sized airline in Africa gives me a unique perspective on issues that airlines hold in common,” she said.
“At the top of the agenda are decarbonisation, improving safety, the transformation to modern airline retailing, and ensuring we have cost-efficient infrastructure. I am particularly pleased to be taking on this role as IATA launches Focus Africa with the aim of unifying the continent’s stakeholders so that together we can strengthen the contribution of aviation to Africa’s social and economic development,” added Makolo.
IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, said he was looking forward to “working with Yvonne” as the association “tackles the important challenges of sustainability and rebuilding the aviation workforce”.
“I want to thank [the outgoing chairperson] Mehmet for his strong support and leadership over the past year as the industry emerged from the Covid-19 [pandemic] and in particular, his encouragement in working for greater gender diversity,” said Walsh.
Makolo started her aviation career in 2017 when she was appointed as RwandAir’s Deputy CEO in charge of Corporate Affairs. She was, thereafter, named CEO in April 2018.
IATA said Makolo brings 11 years of commercial expertise to her current role, having joined telecommunications company MTN Rwanda in 2006, rising to the positions of Chief Marketing Officer and Acting CEO.
“Under her leadership, RwandAir has become one of Africa’s fastest growing airlines with a fleet of 13 modern aircraft. She has led cultural change at the airline with a focus on inclusion and diversity and growing the number of women in under-represented roles,” IATA said in a statement.
RwandAir, via its official Twitter page, congratulated Makolo on the new appointment. TRT Afrika has reached the airline’s Communications Manager Fiona Mbabazi for a more comprehensive statement.
Makolo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Environmental Science from the McGill University in Canada, and also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Information Technology from the Information Technology Institute in Egypt.
RwandAir serves several destinations including Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Makolo, in a past interview with The New York Times, said being a woman, she faced a few challenges in senior leadership due to societal stereotypes.
“Traditionally, people underestimate women in leadership and management roles. I experienced this a lot when I first started. I would walk into a meeting and be the only woman there. I find it necessary that, from the beginning, you make it clear that you are not there to play; there is a reason why you are there and that you know what you are doing,” she said.
Pieter Elbers, the CEO of Indian airline IndiGo, will serve as the Chairperson of the IATA Board of Governors from June 2024, upon the expiry of Makolo’s term.
