Abraham Serem replaces East African Community CS Rebecca Miano as KenGen CEO

Abraham Serem has been KenGen's Human Resources General Manager since March 2016. [File, Standard]

KenGen has appointed Abraham Serem as its Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Rebecca Miano.

Miano took up the East African Community Cabinet Secretary (CS) role after her swearing-in on Thursday, October 27.

Her replacement at KenGen, Serem, is the company's General Manager in charge of Human Resources and Administration, a position he assumed on March 1, 2016 when he joined the firm.

The Board of Directors of the Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) sat on Friday, October 28 and resolved to appoint Serem as the firm's Acting CEO.

"Serem will be responsible for overseeing the transition process of the NSE-listed firm at a time when the entire country is undergoing changes, following the August [9, 2022] General Election which ushered in a new government," said KenGen Board Chairperson General (Retired) Samson Mwathethe.

"[Former CEO Rebecca] Miano led KenGen through an action-packed phase of steady growth which continued over the duration of her leadership, putting KenGen firmly on an upward trajectory. Her biggest test was perhaps the Covid-19 pandemic which threatened energy utilities across the world, but she was able to steady the ship," added Mwathethe.

Some of the major projects that Miano oversaw during her tenure as KenGen CEO include multimillion-shilling drilling consultancies in Ethiopia and Djibouti, where KenGen has active geothermal drilling projects.

"We will also remember Miano for her role in championing KenGen's position in the climate action campaign, not only locally but also going all out to put the company on the global map," said Mwathethe.

Miano was KenGen's fifth CEO since 1997, when the firm was separated from its parent company, the Kenya Power.

Miano, who said during parliamentary vetting that she has a net worth of Sh397 million, replaced Betty Maina at the EAC ministry following her (Miano's) swearing-in last Thursday.

Maina, who was holding the EAC Cabinet Secretary post in an acting capacity following the resignation of Adan Mohamed in February 2022, also surrendered her Trade docket to Moses Kuria, the new appointee in President William Ruto's administration.