Boeing opens offices in SA, Kenya

The offices will be managed by Boeing International headed by J. Miguel Santos, managing director sub-Saharan Africa, and director international sales, Africa, for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, with Chamsou Andjorin, director government affairs and market development, located in the Nairobi office.

Boeing International was established in 2001 and is responsible for the company's international strategy and corporate operations outside the United States.

Taking the necessary steps to establish a firm presence on the continent was an obvious choice according to Santos; “Africa is not new territory for Boeing. Since the introduction of the jet aeroplane, Boeing aircraft have formed the backbone of the continent’s commercial fleet and continues to be one of the largest U.S.-based companies doing business on the continent.”

Africa on the move economically

“The aerospace industry needs to start paying closer attention to Africa because this continent is clearly on the move economically and all the trends are pointing in the right direction for the expansion of the sector. Our job is to be ahead in understanding these emerging trends and opportunities,” Santos continued.

Indicators show that GDP will continue to grow by almost 5% annually over the next decade with Boeing’s most recent Current Market Outlook report predicting that air traffic to and from Africa is expected to grow by about 6.1% annually over the next 20 years, resulting in the need for 1,150 new aeroplanes.