National Oil scouts for new CEO amid ongoing scrutiny by Auditor General

National Oil Corporation of Kenya (Nock) is searching for a new CEO, barely five months after parting ways with Sumayya Hassan-Athmani.

In a paid advert in yesterday’s dailies, the board of the State-owned oil marketer wants to receive applications from suitable candidates by January 6, next year.

“The ideal candidate will be called upon to drive change, lead and build a competitive fully integrated oil and gas company... This is a high profile, challenging position in a specialised and competitive sector,” read the advert in part. The new boss will be charged with among other roles accounting to the National Assembly and ensuring that resources of the corporation are mobilised and utilised in transparent and lawful manner.

Speaking to The Standard on phone, Nock board Chairman Daniel Wamahiu said that the process should be through by end of January. He added that the board will have to settle on three names either internally or through a consultancy firm.

“We shall expedite the process and be in a position to forward three names to the minister for appointment,” he said. The development follows the exit of Ms Summayya in July after she put up a spirited fight to keep her position. She had been sent on compulsory leave in February," returned in July then left.

Her exit was marred with push and pull in the boardroom at a time it was alleged the firm had posted a loss of Sh270 million in six months to June. The firm is not listed and therefore not under obligation to make its financial results public.

But according to Mr Wamahiu, the former CEO had opted out on her own leaving the corporation with no option but advertise the vacancy.

“The previous CEO requested to leave. She is on her terminal leave up to March. Usually when someone requests to leave, then you must fill in the position,” said Mr Wamahiu.

On March, the board had picked on PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to audit the firm’s operations. However, the acting CEO MaryJane Mwangi told The Standard yesterday that PwC process was stopped and the office of Auditor General took over.

“It was terminated. We did not proceed with it because a statutory audit was coming up. There is one from AG (Auditor General) office and that is the one we have embarked on,” she said in a phone interview yesterday.

Mr Wamahiu told The Standard, PwC had to step out when the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) also came on board to seek clarification on the issues under audit.

“I wish not to comment until EACC has completed it work,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ms Mwangi is still the acting Chief Executive Officer and doubles up as General Manager for downstream operations. She holds master’s degree in strategic management being one of the prerequisites for the preferred candidate for CEO.