The appointment follows Chaacha Mwita’s decision to step down, triggering a leadership transition at the media house amid wider changes at board level.
Standard Group headquarters along Mombasa Road, Nairobi Simon Kiragu Kenyans.co.ke Standard Group Plc has appointed Dr Naim Bilal Yaseen as its substantive Group Chief Executive Officer, effective Sunday, November 1, 2026.
The media company announced the appointment in a statement on Thursday, October 29, weeks after announcing the resignation of Chaacha Mwita earlier this month.
“Following the conclusion of a competitive recruitment process, the Board of Directors of The Standard Group PLC (TSG) has appointed Dr Naim Bilal Yaseen, PhD, to the position, effective 1st November 2026,” the statement read.
Bilal’s confirmation to the substantive position formalises his role after serving as Acting CEO following Mwita’s exit.
Dr Naim Bilal Yaseen, the newly appointed Standard Group Chief Executive Officer. Photo Mwita’s departure was announced earlier in October, barely seven months after becoming the company’s substantive CEO, although Standard Media Group did not disclose the reason for his resignation.
Bilal brings more than 30 years of experience in media management, public service, corporate governance and communication.
He previously served as Managing Director of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and Director of Public Affairs and Communication at the Judiciary.
Bilal also held senior positions at Nation Media Group (NMG), including Managing Editor across print and broadcast operations.
Additionally, he previously held the position of the country’s Acting Director of Information and was part of the team that implemented the first phase of the Judiciary Transformation Framework.
His academic qualifications include a PhD in Communication Studies, a master’s degree in Communications Policy, an MBA and a Bachelor of Laws, and he is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
The Standard Group Board said his appointment was expected to support the company’s digital and commercial performance while maintaining the editorial independence of its journalism.
“The Board is confident that Dr. Yaseen will strengthen the Group's digital and commercial performance and uphold the editorial independence on which public trust in its journalism depends,” the statement added.
Bilal’s appointment comes amid wider boardroom changes at the media house, including the appointment of three Independent Non-Executive Directors, Anthony Ambaka Kegode, Tom Odongo and Elishah Njeru, effective October 15, as well as the resignation of Non-Executive Directors Edward Mwasi and Dr James McFie in August.
The company has also been dealing with financial difficulties, including reported losses, challenges in raising capital and the suspension of a proposed Ksh1.5 billion rights issue.
