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Chairman, Kenya Utalii College
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Mahmud Jan Mohamed is a titan of the African hospitality industry and the current Chairman of Kenya Utalii College. He is best known for his transformative 25-year tenure as the Managing Director and CEO of Tourism Promotion Services (TPS) Eastern Africa, the parent company of Serena Hotels. Under his leadership, Serena Hotels expanded from a modest chain into the leading luxury hospitality brand in East Africa, with over 35 properties across Africa and Asia. He retired from the CEO role in July 2023 but was almost immediately tapped by the government to lend his private-sector discipline to the public sector. His career began in the mid-1970s as a Resident Manager at the Mombasa Serena (then Serena Beach Hotel). He rose through the ranks to become the head of the Tourism Department for the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). In late 2023, he was appointed as the non-executive Chairman of Kenya Utalii College with a mandate to restore the institution's fading glory and bridge the skills gap in the tourism workforce. He sits on several blue-chip boards, including British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya, and is a founding chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation.
Appointed Chairman of Kenya Utalii College (2023–Present)
Served as Managing Director & CEO of Serena Hotels Africa for 25 years
Oversaw the expansion of Serena Hotels to 35 properties in 9 countries
Faced the immense challenge of steering the tourism sector through multiple crises, including the 2007 post-election violence
His appointment to Utalii College was met with high pressure to overhaul an institution criticized for aging infrastructure
Navigated complex land conservation issues as a Trustee of the Kenya Land Conservation Trust
News articles featuring Mahmud Jan Mohamed
Founding Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF)
Director at British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya