Henry Thairu is at present the Chairman , Commission for University Education. He is the former Vice Chancellor of Inoorero University (IU). IU is the Enterprise University of Kenya. He is the former Managing Director of JKUAT Enterprises LTD, a company wholly owned by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.(2005-2006) The company’s main mission is to commercialize the University’s Research and Development efforts and Innovations. He has been the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of academic affairs at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) from February 1994 to April 2005. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Management that runs the Kenya Education Network (KENET) and its secretariat. He is former Chairman of the Board of Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) and former Chairman of National Council of Science and Technology. He is  the current Chairman Radiation Protection Board (RPB). He is the current Chairman of Kenya ICT Board Innovation Grants Committee. He is  also the former Chairman of  the KEPSA Higher Education, Science and Technology Sector Board (2010-2014).
He was a member of Higher Education Task Force (TAHEST) which developed the three bills which have already been  enacted .