Asante sana Kip: When the chair sets the business tone

There are leaders who occupy a seat, and there are leaders who define it. As we mark the departure of our Board chair, Kiprono Kittony, I find myself reflecting not just on the milestones of his tenure, but on something far less tangible — and far more lasting — the kind of leader he chose to be, every single day.

I write this not as a formality, but as a dee ply personal and professional tribute from someone who sits at the intersection of people and purpose.

As Head of Human Resources at Radio Africa Group, I am entrusted with the most critical asset any organisation possesses — its human capital. But I have learned over the years that no HR framework succeeds in isolation.

Culture is not built in HR Thursday, June 25, 2026 Thursday, June 25, 2026 departments. It is set at the very top — by the Board, by the chair, and by the values that leadership chooses to model.

Kiprono understood this. And he lived it. He did not come to this boardroom simply to oversee. He came to build. And build he did.

As co-founder of Radio Africa Group in 2000, he helped lay the very foundation upon which our brands — Kiss 100, Classic 105, Radio Jambo, East FM and the Star Publications — now stand as titans of Kenyan media.

He then channelled that same energy into the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, rescuing a struggling institution and transforming it into a powerhouse of national business advocacy.

Wherever he went, he did not just lead. He transformed. That transformative spirit never left our boardroom. From a people strategy perspective, what I will carry forward most is the lesson of tone at the top.

Culture flows from the chair downwards — through management, through teams and into every corridor of an organisation. Kiprono gave Radio Africa Group a culture worth protecting — one built on respect, excellence and the understanding that people are not merely resources.

They are the heartbeat of every institution. That belief shaped how we hired. It shaped how we developed talent. It shaped how we led.

Radio Africa Group today commands more than 10 million digital followers and is home to some of Kenya’s most beloved media personalities.

This did not happen by accident. It happened because the governance culture Kiprono championed placed people first — always. That is his legacy.

And now, Kenya Airways has placed its trust in him as incoming Board chair. If history is anything to go by, that institution is in extraordinarily capable hands.

What he touches, he elevates. On behalf of every member of the Radio Africa Group family — from our on-air talent, journalists, engineers and sales teams to every staff member behind the scenes — thank you.

Thank you for your vision, your wisdom and for seeing us not as headcount, but as the soul of this organisation. Kiprono — your footprints in this house are permanent. We release you with pride and celebrate you with joy