Who is Harry Misiko? Inside the career of NMG’s new Acting Editor-in-Chief taking over from Joe Ageyo

Harry Misiko has been appointed Acting Editor-in-Chief of Nation Media Group's Kenyan operations, placing a veteran digital journalist and newsroom strategist at the helm of one of the country's largest media operations.

Misiko takes over the leadership of the Kenyan newsroom from Dr Joe Ageyo, who has moved to Uganda as Editor-in-Chief of NMG Uganda in a regional editorial restructuring announced by Group Managing Director and CEO Geoffrey Odundo on Wednesday, September 16.

The new position will see Misiko oversee newsroom operations across NMG's Kenyan digital, broadcast and print platforms.

The Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications confirmed Misiko's appointment, describing him as an alumnus of its Executive Master's in Media Leadership and Innovation programme.

Misiko moves into the role after serving as NMG's Managing Editor, Content Strategy, where he was responsible for implementing the group's integrated newsroom content blueprint across its major digital and print products.

Misiko describes himself as a digital journalism leader working at the intersection of content, product, platforms and people leadership.

His career at NMG spans more than 15 years, beginning as a correspondent before moving through editing and newsroom leadership positions.

He joined Nation Media Group as a correspondent in December 2009, according to his professional profile, and later became a sub-editor in June 2011.

As a sub-editor, he worked on copy editing for the Daily Nation and served as chief sub-editor for the Saturday Nation.

He subsequently became an editor in March 2015, a position he held until October 2020. During that period, his work included championing print-digital convergence and staff training.

He then served as Growth Editor between October 2020 and February 2022 before becoming News Editor, Africa, a position he held until May 2025.

In May 2025, he became Managing Editor, Content Strategy — the position from which he now moves into the Acting Editor-in-Chief role.

The Aga Khan University has also previously identified Misiko as Managing Editor, Content Strategy at NMG.

His focus on content, data and technology

Misiko's professional profile places significant emphasis on the changing relationship between journalism, technology and audiences.

As Managing Editor, Content Strategy, he said he was leading execution of NMG's integrated newsroom content blueprint for platforms including Nation.africa, Daily Nation, Business Daily, NTV Kenya online, The EastAfrican and Taifa Leo.

He describes his work as combining content, data, people and technology to develop approaches to journalism, newsroom innovation and the media business.

He has also worked in newsroom growth and digital journalism, giving him experience beyond conventional editorial production.

His professional profile describes him as someone who leads cross-functional teams and works on content and audience strategy, while also training journalists and developing newsroom teams and products.

Misiko's academic and professional training has also been centred on journalism and media leadership.

He holds an Executive Master's in Media Leadership and Innovation from Aga Khan University, which he completed in 2024 with a Great Distinction, according to his professional profile.

The programme focused on areas including media leadership, product innovation and people management.

He also holds a master's degree in Journalism and Interactive Journalism from City St George's, University of London, where he studied from 2015 to 2016.

During his time in London, he participated in The Times' Build The News competition, where his team won, and also participated in the BBC News Labs City New Hackathon, finishing as first runners-up, according to his profile.

He had earlier completed training in data journalism through the European Journalism Centre, covering areas including data scraping, data refinement, visualisation and story generation.

Misiko's undergraduate education was at Maseno University, where he studied for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media with a focus on Print Journalism between 2005 and 2009.

His career has also included international newsroom exposure.

In 2014, Misiko became an Alfred Friendly Fellow at The Washington Post in Washington, DC, where he worked on news and feature writing.

The Washington Post's own archive identifies Misiko as a Daily Nation copy editor who was the 2014 Alfred Friendly Fellow at the newspaper.

His fellowship also gave him experience working within a major US newsroom before he returned to continue his career in Kenya.

At NMG, his progression has subsequently taken him from correspondent and sub-editor roles into increasingly senior positions covering editing, digital growth, African news and content strategy.

Misiko's appointment is part of a wider NMG regional editorial restructuring affecting Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

While Ageyo moves to Uganda and James Smart moves from Kenya to Tanzania as Acting Managing Editor, Broadcast and New Media, Misiko becomes the senior editorial figure in Kenya.

Other changes announced by NMG include Dann Mwangi becoming Acting Managing Editor, Broadcast and New Media; John Kiplagat becoming Acting Managing Editor, Publishing; and new acting lead-editor positions across Weekend Edition, Daily Nation, broadcasting and Business Daily.

NMG said the changes followed a review of its editorial structure and evolving business requirements across the region.