2018 KATA Convention Speakers

Hon. Najib Balala – Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife.	CS Balala was early this year re-appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife by H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, CGH, President of the Republic of Kenya. He is credited with steering Kenya’s tourism sector to recovery following the post-election violence in 2008. He played a significant role in boosting growth and stability in the Kenyan and regional tourism sector, working closely with private and institutional investors, with conservation and regional development agencies to ensure that the economic potential of this vital sector was both prudently and sustainably managed.
Brent Mclaren – Regional Product Manager Africa, Travelport	Brent is responsible for product positioning and product development for Africa including the Indian Ocean Islands   He comes from a strong TMC background having previously worked for one of South Africa’s leading travel companies for 11 years prior to joining Travelport. Through this experience he brings with him a strong TMC perspective into his role at Travelport. His passion is to bring the latest travel technology and innovation to Africa.
Jack Ngare – Managing Director, Finserve Africa	Jack holds an ALM in Management from Harvard University, an MSC in Advanced Computer Science (Distinction) and BSC in Computer Science from the University of Leicester. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management from Harvard University, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). He previously worked for British Telecom (Global Services) with assignments in UK, Saudi Arabia, Peru and a joint venture with NTT Docomo in Japan. He subsequently worked at Stanbic Bank and NIC Bank (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania). Jack has in depth experience in management, the telco industry, mobile financial services and emerging technology risks and security.
Guido Verweij – Managing Director for Africa, Travelport	Guido joined Travelport in 2012 and has held a variety of strategy roles within the company, including Global Head of Strategy and Business Development, where he was accountable for driving the strategic direction and growing the business with Travelport’s agency customers around the world. In his role, Guido is responsible for leading the commercial strategy, account management and new business functions, with the aim of driving further growth for Travelport in the region.
Sebastian Mikosz – Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Airways	Sebastian is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies (IEP Paris) in France with a master’s degree in economics and finance.  He has over 20 years professional and international experience in executive management, both in the private and public sector. Sebastian has also held various non-executive roles as Supervisory Board member. Prior to joining Kenya Airways in June 2017, Sebastian was the CEO of eSky.pl, the leading Central European Online Travel Agent which is specialized in e-distribution of travel products, currently operating in 15 countries worldwide and owns a proprietary technology, including mobile distribution.
Sam Gichuru – Founder, Chief ExecutIve Officer, Nailab	Mr. Gichuru’s contribution in establishing the startup business ecosystem in Kenya, through Nailab, has been significant and as a result has been invited as a key speaker to various forums including the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), held in Nairobi and officiated by The President of The United States, Barack Obama. Sam was instrumental in setting the stage and discussing the importance of specialty incubators and the key role innovation hubs play in the success of a start-up business. Sam served as Vice-chair of the technical team that put together the first ever Kenya National Innovation forum whose result was the establishment of Enterprise Kenya- Kenya’s trade entity for innovations.
Regina Nyuguto – Industry Manager, Google Kenya	Regina has over 20 years’ experience assisting large and small advertisers across numerous verticals to navigate the evolving media landscape in Africa. She has deep experience managing media agencies including Universal McCann, Media Initiative EA, MediaCom and MindShare Kenya, which she set up in 2005. She has solid experience in media strategy, planning and buying. Regina also has experience working on advertiser side at Safaricom Limited where she managed the media portfolio across traditional media, social media and digital media and was Managing Editor of the in-house magazine, The Option. Regina has been working at Google Kenya since 2016 helping advertisers in East Africa to understand how they can harness digital media to achieve their goals and to make the most of their investment on Google’s advertising platforms
Mathieu Dutrisac – Managing Director, Amadeus	Mathieu Dutrisac joined the Amadeus East Africa Team in July 2017 as Managing Director. He is responsible for overseeing business strategies across all the travel channels in corporate and leisure travel agencies, leading Amadeus’ initiatives to grow in East Africa whilst driving technological innovation. He brings a wealth of B2B experience and expertise in launching Payments and Mobile solutions in Africa.
Gueye Sidy – Relationship Manager for East Africa, IATA	Sidy Gueye holds the position of Relationship Manager for East Africa at IATA. He holds a master’s in applied mathematics and is an engineer in Civil Aviation Operations, specialized in Air traffic Management. After working for 15 years for ASECNA, He joined IATA in 2012 where he was dealing with Air Traffic Management and later airport, passenger and security matters.

SPONSOR’S PROFILE

1. Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 51 destinations worldwide, 43 of which are in Africa and carries over three million passengers annually. It continues to modernize its fleet with its 32 aircrafts being some of the youngest in Africa. This includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner aircrafts. The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride for being in the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra -modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

Kenya Airways celebrated 40 years of operations in January 2017 and was named Africa Leading Airline 2017 by the World Travel Awards.

2. Travelport

Travelport is a recognized, proven, industry leader with the products and solutions it offers today covering all aspects of the travel supply chain from airline merchandising, hotel content and distribution, mobile commerce to B2B payments.

Travelport is committed to building leading technology that makes the experience of buying and managing travel continually better. Through travel commerce platform Travelport provides distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the $7 trillion global travel and tourism industry.

Travelport platform facilitates travel commerce by connecting the world’s leading travel providers with online and offline travel buyers in a proprietary (B2B) travel marketplace.

They are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (TVPT) and headquartered in Langley, UK. With a team of over 4000 talented people focused on continuous improvement we increase probability and commercial success for customers in over 180 countries and territories.

3. Amadeus

Set-up in July 2003, Amadeus East Africa is a wholly owned Amadeus Commercial Organization company that covers Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti & Southern Sudan.

Over the past 10 years, Amadeus East Africa has aspired to produce the best technology solutions to drive business results for our customers.

Amadeus aspiration is captured in three words, to be: Brighter, Bolder, Better. Amadeus has an impact at every step of the travel chain, with people, working and interacting with each other and with customers supporting their business goals both locally and across the world.

4. Finserve Africa

Finserve Limited is the fintech subsidiary of Equity Group established to inspire and prosper people and businesses by connecting today’s potential with tomorrow’s innovative opportunities. Finserve addresses complex financial and lifestyle obstacles by employing a data and insight driven culture to build products that enrich customer experience.

Finserve has distinguished itself as an innovator with futuristic solutions that will contribute to the ease of doing business in Africa.

Finserve has assembled a highly skilled Board and management. Jack Ngare, the Managing Director and Dr. Patrick Uwizeye, Non-Executive Board Chair.

5. Saham Assurance

Saham Assurance Company Kenya Limited (formerly known as Mercantile Insurance Company Limited) was established in the year 1993 as a composite insurance company. The company has a share capital of Ksh.450million, which has been fully paid up. Total assets of the company are over Ksh.2billion. A-Rating (by Global Credit Rating denoting our strong claims paying ability nationally.

During 2012, the company decided to make a strategic partnership with Saham Group who acquired majority stake in Mercantile Insurance through its subsidiary Colina Holdings.

In view to have common brand across Pan Africa, the company was rebranded as Saham Assurance Company Kenya Limited.

The Saham Group was founded in 1995, it has become in less than two decades a leading player in the fields of high value added services i.e. Insurance, Assistance, Customer Relationship Centres, Health and Real Estate. The group’s headquarters are in Casablanca, Morocco.

6. Kenya Tourism Board

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) was established in 1997 through the legal notice no.14 under the state Corporations Act (Cap 446) of the laws of Kenya.

Kenya Tourism Board`s commitment is to provide quality and efficient service to its customers and stakeholders. KTB highlights its role in positioning Kenya as an outstanding tourist destination. Kenya Tourism Board’s mandate is to develop, implement and co-ordinate a National Tourism marketing strategy.

Some of the core functions of Kenya Tourism Board is to provide leadership and offer strategic direction to both the government and the tourism private sector in matters regarding destination marketing, to monitor the quality and standards of facilities available to both local and international tourists and advice the private sector and government agencies on how to improve the facilities for various target markets and Work in partnership with national, regional and international organizations as well as local authorities in the country to improve the tourism environment.