Jude Chesire, the head of the Kenya Sugar Board, has been elected as the chairman of the International Sugar Organization (ISO) Council for 2026. This is the first time a Kenyan and an African has been appointed to this top position in the organization, which is based in London.
Chesire succeeds Edgar Herrera from Costa Rica. His election reflects Kenya’s progress in the sugar sector and in the international market.
The reforms led by Chesire have resulted in four state-owned factories being privatized, an additional 47,123 hectares of sugarcane planted, a 76% increase in production, and a rise in the price of sugarcane. These changes benefit farmers, 250,000 workers, and nearly six million people.
As ISO chairman, he will oversee the revision of ISO regulations and play a key role in the global sugar market, including pricing, taxation, bioethanol, energy, and environmental issues.
