Veteran Ato Girma Wake takes interim role as Uganda opens search for new Uganda Airlines CEO

February 4, 2026 in Business, Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

 

Uganda is engaging veteran African aviation executive Ato Girma Wake to serve as interim head of Uganda Airlines as the government launches a search for a new chief executive. The move follows a critical audit that exposed governance and management weaknesses at the national carrier and signals a more assertive effort to stabilise and professionally restructure the airline.

 

Uganda is in talks with veteran African aviation executive Ato Girma Wake as it seeks an interim executive to steer the search for a new Chief Executive Officer for its flag carrier. Wake met President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday as government moves to stabilise the national airline after a prolonged period of turbulence.

Wake’s engagement—he is widely credited with transforming Ethiopian Airlines into a continental powerhouse—comes as Uganda Airlines’ board advertised the CEO position across national and regional media, marking the start of a recruitment process expected to conclude by June 2026.

The dual move draws a line under a challenging phase for the airline marked by governance concerns, management infighting and operational disruptions, following a board-commissioned audit completed in June 2025 that identified management lapses and systemic weaknesses.

The CEO position is open to both Ugandan nationals and non-nationals, with applicants required to be below 60 years of age. Candidates must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in administration, public administration, aviation management, engineering, finance, law or another business-related discipline. A master’s degree and aviation-specific training are listed as added advantages, alongside a minimum of 10 years’ senior executive experience in aviation or a related sector.

According to State Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama, the audit findings were submitted to President Museveni last year, with management given a one-year window to address the identified shortcomings.

“The board submitted its audit report and recommendations to the President last June,” Byamukama was quoted by local media as saying. “The President advised that management be given one year to address the issues. That period ends this June, and we have now begun the process to identify a new CEO.”

Byamukama cited persistent internal conflicts and leadership challenges as among the factors informing the leadership reset, adding that further accountability measures could follow as government moves to clean up the airline.

Uganda Airlines has faced mounting criticism over flight cancellations, reputational damage and planning weaknesses, particularly after one of its Airbus A330-800neo aircraft was grounded for several weeks, disrupting long-haul operations. The airline also saw the resignation of its human resources director late last year, reinforcing perceptions of instability at senior management level.

Girma Wake steps in

Wake, 82, is expected to serve as interim executive and consultant to Uganda Airlines, subject to vetting expected next week. In his interim role, he will help steer the airline through the transition, participate in the recruitment of a substantive CEO and oversee the rebuilding of the top management team.

Widely regarded as one of Africa’s most experienced airline executives, Wake brings decades of expertise in airline turnaround, governance reform and long-term fleet and network strategy. Sources familiar with the process say he is expected to assemble an interim team, assess existing management capacity and recommend a leadership structure aimed at restoring professionalism, commercial discipline and stakeholder confidence.

Revived in 2019, Uganda Airlines was envisioned as a strategic tool to boost tourism, trade and national prestige, with heavy state investment in six Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets and a pair of Airbus A330-800neo widebodies intended to position Entebbe as a regional hub.

However, the carrier has struggled to reconcile political expectations with the discipline required to achieve commercial sustainability, attracting scrutiny over procurement, governance and human resource management.

The leadership reset comes as government commits additional funding to fleet expansion, including a recently approved UGX 446 billion supplementary budget. Analysts say the success of the next phase will depend less on new aircraft and more on professional management, disciplined route planning and credible corporate governance.

By engaging Wake to guide the transition and launching an open search for a new CEO, Uganda is signalling a more interventionist approach to stabilising its flag carrier—one that acknowledges past shortcomings while attempting to reset the airline’s trajectory in an increasingly competitive African aviation market.

Ato Girma Wake, a Profile

Ato Girma Wake is one of Africa’s most influential aviation executives, widely credited with transforming Ethiopian Airlines into a globally competitive carrier and a model for state-owned airline success.

He served as Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011, a period during which the airline executed an ambitious fleet modernisation programme, expanded its long-haul network across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas, and embedded a commercially disciplined, professionally managed operating culture. Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines laid the foundations for what would later become Africa’s largest and most profitable airline group.

Before and after his tenure as CEO, Wake played a central role in Ethiopia’s aviation ecosystem, including as a senior adviser to the airline and government on aviation policy, infrastructure development and airline strategy. He is widely respected for championing strong corporate governance, long-term planning and the insulation of airline management from political interference.

His appointment as interim executive and consultant at Uganda Airlines is seen as a signal of serious intent by government to restore professional management, rebuild credibility and chart a sustainable path forward for the national carrier.

AVIADEV: Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to African aviation, AVIADEV established the Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award, first presented in 2017. The award honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision and long-term impact in the development of air connectivity across Africa.

Named after Wake, the award reflects his role in reshaping African aviation through strategic network development, investment in human capital and the creation of viable, globally connected airlines. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious recognitions in African aviation and is awarded to industry leaders whose careers have advanced the continent’s air transport sector.