Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the CEO at RwandAir will become the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors with effect from next year in 2023 when she is slated to take over.
Manzi is expected to assume this top position at next year’s Annual General Meeting that is slated to take place in Istanbul on the 4th to 6th June 2023.
This annual event on the aviation calendar will be hosted by Pegasus Airlines.
This revelation was made public at the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Doha, Qatar.
This was at IATA’s 78th Annual General Meeting in Doha.
Her elevation is great news for the leader of Africa’s aviation industry RwandAir-which is a fast-growing African carrier and will bring a unique African viewpoint to this highly coveted position.
Yvonne Makolo, is a well-known campaigner for women in aviation, her appointment is historical as she is set to be the first-ever female to take on this prestigious duty which is widely expected to aid the advancement of the Africa’s aviation industry on a continental scale.
Who is Yvonne Manzi Makolo
Ugandan enterprises urged to explore regional oil and gas opportunitiesYvonne Manzi Makolo is a Rwandan IT specialist and business executive, who serves as the managing director and chief executive officer of Rwandair, the national airline of Rwanda. She was appointed to that position on 6 April 2018. Prior to that, she served as the Deputy CEO responsible for corporate affairs at the same airline, from April 2017 until April 2018
Yvonne was born in Rwanda. In 1993, she voluntarily migrated to Canada. Ten years later, in 2003 she returned to her native Rwanda. She and her older sister were raised by a single mother, Yvonne’s father having died when the daughters were very young. Her sister is the Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo. Makolo has specialized training in information technology and has worked as a software developer, both in Canada and Rwanda
In 2006, she joined MTN Rwanda, a leading telecommunications service provider in the country. Over time, she rose through the ranks to the position of chief marketing officer and also concurrently served as the chief executive officer, in an acting capacity.
In April 2017, when the Cabinet of Rwanda made management changes at Rwandair, Yvonne Manzi Makolo was appointed Deputy CEO, responsible for Corporate Affairs
In November 2021, Makolo was interviewed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). During that interview, she was asked what it will take for African aviation to revive. She believes governments must provide more support for aviation. “However, this does not always imply financial assistance”
Yvonne Makolo is a mother of young children
