Ahmed Kellow
Ahmed Kellow | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 12, 1944 Ethiopia |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, scholar, CEO |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Known for | CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Chairman of Coca-Cola Ethiopia |
Ahmed Kellow is a prominent Ethiopian entrepreneur and scholar who held the position of CEO at Ethiopian Airlines before becoming Chairman of Coca-Cola Ethiopia.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
Born on September 12, 1944, into a Harari family, Kellow began his professional journey in 1972 by taking on managerial roles within state-owned organizations including the Imperial Highway Authority and the Glass & Bottle Company.[5] During the Ethiopian Revolution, he emerged as a leading figure in the 1974 Ethiopian Muslim protests, campaigning for government acknowledgment of Muslim holidays in a nation predominantly following Orthodox Christianity.[6]
After escaping the communist regime in 1980, Kellow pursued doctoral studies in the United Kingdom and by 1986 was teaching Accounting and Finance at Cardiff Business School.[7][8]
Career
Following the collapse of the Communist Derg regime in 1994, Ahmed Kellow returned from the UK to Ethiopia and was appointed CEO of Ethiopian Airlines by the EPRDF administration. His approach focused on eliminating superfluous costs while boosting income, resulting in marked enhancements. By the fiscal year 1995, the airline recorded a net profit of 186 million Birr (approximately $35 million), more than doubling the prior year's 91 million Birr. Revenue increased to 1.6 billion Birr from 1.26 billion Birr, and passenger load factor rose from 55.7% to 58.5%.
Subsequently, Ahmed took on roles as managing director and Chairman of Coca-Cola Ethiopia. In 2006, he assumed chairmanship of First Consult, a consultancy enterprise established by his son Nebil Kellow.
He was also connected with the now-defunct Harari National League.
Education
Ahmed completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Addis Ababa University in 1966, followed by an MBA from the State University of New York at Albany in 1969, and earned a PhD in International Finance from Manchester Business School in 1980.
Selected publications
- 2006: "Decomposition of Stock Returns", Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, pp. 481–494
- 2020: "A Review of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Ethiopia" co-authored with Nebil Kellow, Doing Business in Africa: Springer, pp. 191–211
See also
- ↑ DAHLBURG, JOHN-THOR (24 November 1996). 90 Die as Hijacked Airliner Crashes Into Indian Ocean. LA TIMES.
- ↑ Ethiopia: New Coca-Cola Bottling Company formed to develop Business in Ethiopia. Addis Tribune.
- ↑ Getachew, Samuel (11 March 2020). One year on, Ethiopian Airlines was set to recover from its worst tragedy—then coronavirus hit. Quartz.
- ↑ News from Ethiopia Volumes 6-7. Embassy of Ethiopia. 1997.
- ↑ Verdier, Isabelle (1997). Ethiopia The Top 100 People. Indigo Publications.
- ↑ The 1974 Ethiopian Muslim Rally. Badr newsletter. 2003.
- ↑ Milliot, Eric (December 2020). Doing Business in Africa From Economic Growth to Societal Development. Springer International Publishing.
- ↑ Country Report. 1993.