Geraldine Waruguru | |
Birth Place: | Mombasa, Kenya |
Occupation: | Businesswoman, Airline pilot |
Years Active: | 2006–present |
Nationality: | Kenyan |
Citizenship: | Kenyan |
Founder, Owner & CEO of Scents By Geraldine Limited and First Officer at Kenya Airways |
Geraldine Waruguru is a Kenyan businesswoman and airline pilot. She is the founder, co-owner and chief executive officer of Scents by Geraldine Limited, a perfume manufacturing business, based in Nairobi. She concurrently works as an airline transport pilot, who serves as a First Officer at Kenya Airways, Kenya's national carrier airline, on the Boeing 737 aircraft.[1]
Waruguru was born in Kenya circa 1984. She attended Kenyan schools for her elementary and secondary education. She then went on to obtain a commercial pilot licence from the 43rd Air School, in Port Alfred, South Africa. Later in 2016, she undertook a course in perfumery.[2] [3]
Geraldine Waruguru began flying for Kenya Airways in 2006. After several years of research, she decided to start her own perfume line in 2016. After looking for a manufacturing partner in Germany, South Africa and the United Kingdom, she selected Scentury Company from Berlin.[4]
Her first branded perfume came to market in 2017, after Geraldine spent €25,000 of her personal savings on developing the brand. She markets her fragrances online and on social media platforms. She also maintains a shop along Kenyatta Avenue, in Nairobi's central business district.[4] [5] During the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of laying off her staff, she convinced them to accept half of their regular salary.[1]
Geraldine Waruguru is a mother to a son, who was born circa 2013.[1]
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she expected to complete her examinations to become a captain on the Boeing 737 by the end of 2020.[1]