Lufthansa AG names new CEOs for Eurowings and Brussels Airlines

The Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG has appointed new CEOs for Eurowings and Brussels Airlines. Jens Bischof will take over as chairman of Eurowings on 1 March 2020. As of 1 January 2020, Dieter Vranckx will be CEO of Brussels Airlines.

Jens Bischof, currently CEO of SunExpress, is taking over the leadership of Germany’s second-largest airline and the third-largest point-to-point airline in Europe. Eurowings will welcome more than 38 million passengers on board this year. The airline currently employs 8,000 people and has an annual sales volume of more than four billion euros. The airline is expected to return to profitability in 2021.

Jens Bischof (54) began his career with the group in 1990, holding several leadership positions during this time. He managed the passenger business of Lufthansa in North and South America and was responsible for the global sales organization as Member of the Executive Board at Lufthansa Passage and Chief Commercial Officer. In the past three years as CEO of SunExpress, he has successfully realigned the company, significantly expanded it and successfully positioned it economically.

Dieter Vranckx will take over as CEO of Brussels Airlines effective 1 January 2020, succeeding Christina Foerster. The Belgian native has been Chief Financial Officer and deputy CEO of the airline’s Management Board since 1 May 2018.

Dieter Vranckx (46) has held several senior positions at Deutsche Lufthansa AG since 2001. Prior to serving as CFO of Brussels Airlines between 2016 and 2018, he was responsible for the group’s sales and for the marketing activities for the Lufthansa Group airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, operating out of Singapore. Before that, among other things, he was Vice President at Swiss WorldCargo with responsibility for Asia and Africa.

Patrick Staudacher will join Lufthansa Group on 1 May 2020. He will take over the reoriented position of CFO & Head of Business Development for the Lufthansa core brand. The appointment also takes place with a view towards the planned legal independence of the Lufthansa airline. Patrick Staudacher (43) has been with Boston Consulting Group since 2008. Most recently, he was a senior partner there and an expert for the areas airlines, aerospace and post-merger integration.

“With the quick decision for the new management of Eurowings and Brussels Airlines as well as the realignment of the CFO position at the Lufthansa airline, we are systematically continuing our modernization course. With Jens Bischof, we have appointed an outstanding CEO for Eurowings. He will continue to lead the airline with a high level of autonomy, complete the turnaround that has begun, and position the airline as a strong and popular brand for passengers and employees. Going forward, Brussels Airlines in Belgium will have a first-class and very experienced airline manager in Dieter Vranckx who will continue to push forward on the course that has been charted. We are also pleased to welcome Patrick Staudacher to the executive team, who will provide new impulses for the leadership and development of the Lufthansa airline,” says Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.