Kenyan Business mogul Richard Ngatia has been appointed as the new president of the East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (EACCIA), replacing Toufiq S. Turky, whose tenure came to an end earlier this month.

Ngatia, who is also the former Chamber President at Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry doubles as the chairmanship of the General Assembly of the Great Lakes Region Private Sector Forum, a position he attained in 2019.

The EACCIA serves as the apex chamber for all the countries that compose the East African Community (EAC) member states.

ALSO READ: East Africa meets minimum requirements for trading under AfCFTA.

"I assumed the role of the EACCIA Chair in challenging times, and even before we could fully stabilise the EACCIA, the entire planet was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the subsequent global financial crisis where we, as East African Community member states, needed unity more than ever before,” Turky said after the handover ceremony.

ALSO READ: EAC business community wants air transport costs reviewed

He added: "I am happy to pass on the baton to Ngatia so that he can facilitate the creation of an atmosphere in which our regional chamber can contribute effectively and efficiently in realising the objective of a trade-led regional integration of East Africa in order to further strengthen our unity.”

Ngatia is not new in the regional and global business community. He is a member of the World Chamber Federation Council, a forum that connects various chambers, in a bid to create a better environment for businesses and Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).