The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has named Juliana Kagwa as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a fresh chapter in the leadership of the country’s tourism promotion agency.
She replaces Lilly Ajarova, who held the position from January 2019 until March this year.
Ms Kagwa brings a wealth of experience in marketing, corporate relations, and sustainability from the private sector.
Before her appointment, she served as the Group Marketing and Sales Director at Seed Co, a pan-African seed company known for its development and distribution of certified hybrid seed varieties including maize, wheat, rice, and soya bean.
Prior to Seed Co, Ms Kagwa worked at Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) for over 17 years.
Her career at the beverage giant began through the Diageo Graduate Management Programme and evolved through various roles in marketing and innovation, culminating in her appointment as Director of Corporate Relations.
In that capacity, she managed stakeholder engagement, communications, and social impact programmes.
Her predecessor, Lilly Ajarova, joined UTB after a long tenure as Executive Director of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, which manages Ngamba Island.
Ms Ajarova’s leadership at UTB was characterised by efforts to professionalise tourism marketing, attract international visitors, and expand the country’s global tourism footprint.
As the new CEO, Kagwa is expected to leverage her branding and communications expertise to reinvigorate Uganda’s tourism sector, with an emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and domestic engagement.
Her appointment comes at a time when the sector is still recovering from the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and is seeking new strategies to reposition Uganda as a competitive destination in East Africa and beyond.