The Standard Group PLC has appointed its Acting Editor-in-Chief, John Bundotich, as the acting Group Chief Executive Officer ahead of the planned exit of Chaacha Mwita on November 1, 2026.
The leadership change comes barely seven months after Mwita was appointed to the substantive CEO position, setting the stage for another transition at the media company.
In a notice dated Friday, October 23, 2026, the company announced that Bundotich would assume the acting CEO role effective November 1, the same day Mwita is expected to leave the position.
The appointment was approved by the company's Board of Directors and communicated to shareholders and the general public in line with the Capital Markets (Public Offers, Listings and Disclosures) Regulations, 2023.
"Pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 11 of the Thirteenth Schedule of the Capital Markets (Public Offers, Listings, and Disclosures) Regulations, 2023, the Board of Directors of The Standard Group PLC (“the Company”) wishes to notify its shareholders and the general public of the appointment of Mr. John Bundotich, as the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Company, with immediate effect from 1st November 2026," the notice obtained by Vantage Ke reads in part.
Bundotich brings more than 25 years of experience in Kenya's media industry, having worked across print, broadcast and digital media.
According to the announcement, he currently serves as Acting Editor-in-Chief at The Standard Group, where he has gained experience in editorial leadership, business transformation, corporate governance and digital innovation. He has previously held several senior leadership positions at The Standard Group and Nation Media Group (NMG).
His experience includes overseeing editorial and operational functions, developing media products, growing audiences and supporting newsroom convergence across different platforms.
The company also highlighted his experience working with key stakeholders, including government institutions, regulators and commercial partners.
Bundotich holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Kenyatta University. He has also undertaken executive development programmes in corporate governance, leadership, finance, performance management, labour relations and media innovation.
He is an accredited journalist of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and a member of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
The company described him as a leader recognised for his integrity, strategic vision and sound judgement, adding that he had the ability to steer organisations through complex and rapidly changing business environments while maintaining high standards of professionalism and governance.
"He is recognized for his integrity, strategic vision, sound judgement and ability to lead organizations through complex and rapidly evolving business environments while maintaining high standards of governance, professionalism and operational excellence," the notice added.
The transition comes at a time when traditional media companies are grappling with changes in audience consumption, digital transformation and evolving advertising and revenue models.
Mwita's planned departure, less than a year after taking up the substantive position, marks a relatively short tenure at the helm of one of Kenya's established media houses. However, the appointment notice did not disclose the reasons behind Mwita's planned exit, as was the case in the resignation notice issued on October 30, or specify how long Bundotich would serve in an acting capacity. It also did not indicate when the company intends to appoint a substantive Group Chief Executive Officer.
The notice was signed by Standard Group Company Secretary Catherine Kawira on behalf of the board on October 23, 2026. Mwita assumed the substantive CEO position on April 1, 2026, after serving as Acting CEO from July 1, 2025.
He took over the acting position following the departure of Marion Gathoga-Mwangi, who resigned effective June 30, 2025, after approximately one year at the helm of the media group.
His planned exit is coming amid a series of changes within Standard Group's board and senior leadership. On October 12, the company announced that Edward Mwasi and Dr James McFie had stepped down as Non-Executive Directors, with their resignations taking effect on August 31, 2026.
The media house subsequently unveiled three new Independent Non-Executive Directors: Anthony Ambaka Kegode, Tom Odongo and Elishah Njeru. Their appointments took effect on October 15, 2026.
