US President Joe Biden has nominated former chief executive of ICT firms Hewlett Packard and eBay Margaret Whitman as ambassador to Kenya.
Ms Whitman, a billionaire and longtime technology industry executive, commonly referred to as Meg, spent decades in high-level corporate roles and has also been active in US politics.
If confirmed by the US Senate, she will take over from Eric Kneedler, the charg d affaires interim for Kenya since January, after former ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter resigned after the change of guard at the White House. In 2019, McCarter was appointed by former President Donald Trump.
In announcing Biden's selection of Whitman, the White House noted her extensive business background.
Her nomination comes amid growing unease in Nairobi about Biden's administration's delay to conclude a free trade agreement with Kenya, which was initiated by his predecessor Trump.
Ms Whitman said on Wednesday night that Kenya is a strategic partner of the United States, and I look forward to working with the Kenyan government on a wide variety of issues to advance peace, prosperity and health in the country and throughout the region.
Ms Whitman was a graduate of Princeton. She earned her MBA from Harvard and worked at several major US companies — including Proctor Gamble and Walt Disney — before joining eBay in 1998.
She is a board member of Proctor Gamble and General Motors and a national board chair of Teach for America.
According to US reports, Whitman, a former Republican, was a significant donor who supported Democrat Biden's campaign.
Whitman ran unsuccessfully for governor of California in 2010 as a Republican. She endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 against Donald Trump.
The US records show that wealthy donors often get ambassadorial roles in Democratic and Republican administrations.
The ambassadors to the campaign were selected by President Trump from among other countries who had contributed to his campaign.
Previous US ambassadors to Kenya include Robert F. Godec 2013 -- 2019 Scott Gration 2011 -- 2012 Michael Ranneberger 2006 -- 2011 William M. Bellamy 2003 -- 2006 and Johnnie Carson 1999 -- 2003 Other Prudence Bushnell 1996 -- 1999 Aurelia E. Brazeal 1993 -- 1996 and Smith Hempstone, Jr 1989 -- 1993