DNK International By Tobby Otum,Mombasa.
At just 36, June Teclar Chepkemei has made her name into Kenya’s public service history as one of the youngest women ever appointed to lead a key state corporation.
She took over as Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) at a time when the sector was under pressure to reinvent itself and reclaim its global shine.
Chepkemei was appointed in March 2024 and walked into office with a resume that blends media, corporate communications, innovation and investment promotion.
An unusual but strategic fit for a role that thrives on storytelling, branding and global persuasion.
Chepkemei in a chat with Daily News Kenya-International recently in Mombasa recently said that since chuldhood she’s been an ambituous person.
The KTB CEO has on many occasions, openly spoken about hustling through her early years, doing small businesses to support her education.
Academically, she is grounded in communication and marketing, holding both a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from Moi University.
She further sharpened her global outlook with a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), executive innovation training from Stanford University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Information Science.
Chepkemei is also a Chartered Marketer and a member of the Public Relations Society of Kenya.
Her professional path began in journalism, where she rose from an intern to a Business News Editor in one of the local media houses in the country where she gained a front row seat to Kenya’s economic story.
From the newsroom,she transitioned into corporate communications, working at Safaricom before moving to the public sector where she became head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Konza Technopolis Development Authority.
There, she played a key role in positioning Konza as Africa’s Silicon Savannah and coordinating major international partnerships.
Her star continued to rise when she was appointed acting Managing Director of the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest).
At KenInvest, she led efforts to attract foreign direct investment and promote Kenya as a competitive investment destination.
That investment background became a key factor in her appointment to KTB, as the government sought a leader capable of reimagining tourism as both a lifestyle and an economic engine.
Since taking office, Chepkemei has pushed an aggressive and modern marketing approach, championing diaspora tourism through campaigns such as “Ziara Kenya: One Diaspora, One Tourist,” while also advocating for product diversification beyond the traditional safari and beach model.
She has been vocal about promoting adventure tourism, sports tourism and sustainable travel, launching initiatives like “One Tourist, One Tree” to align tourism growth with environmental conservation.
Her tenure has not been without challenges.
She took over amid high public expectations, stiff regional competition and the lingering effects of the post COVID tourism recovery.
Critics have also questioned her rapid rise across sectors, but “supporters” argue her cross cutting experience is exactly what modern tourism leadership demands.
Under her watch, KTB has strengthened partnerships with county governments, foreign missions and private sector players, while positioning Kenya as a destination that offers culture, nature, innovation and authentic experiences.
Chepkemei has repeatedly said her vision is to make tourism work for ordinary Kenyans, insisting that growth must translate into jobs, community empowerment and conservation.
Her memorable remarks often revolve around collaboration, sustainability and storytelling, arguing that Kenya must “sell experiences, not just destinations.”
Her leadership has already earned continental recognition, including being named among Africa’s most influential CEOs, further cementing her status as a trailblazer for young women in leadership.
As Kenya charts its tourism future, June Chepkemei stands out as a symbol of generational change,young, strategic and unapologetically ambitious tasked with selling the country to the world while ensuring that the benefits of tourism are felt at home.
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🗓️ [DNK-International @January 8, 2025]
