Kirsten is a qualified Chartered Accountant (South Africa) with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Natal. Kirsten has worked in aviation for the last 15 years, gaining substantial exposure to the challenges facing the industry. She held the position of CFO at Comair Limited, the then listed South African airline, for eight years in aggregate. Kirsten joined fastjet Limited in the role of Group CFO effective May 2023 and became Group CEO in November 2025.