Heads roll at Lufthansa: four of the six board members leave

The airline surprisingly announced this on Thursday evening. The supervisory board has decided on “a far-reaching restructuring of the board of directors”. One board position will be eliminated, and from July the committee will have five instead of six members.

“After successfully overcoming the Corona crisis, the subsequent recovery in air traffic and the economic turnaround, the Lufthansa Group is starting the next phase of its corporate development with a realignment of the Board of Directors,” said a statement explaining the reasons. The restructuring coincides with the departure of four board members.

According to schedule, the terms of office of Harry Hohmeister, Board Member for “Global Markets and Network Management,” and Detlef Kayser, Board Member for “Fleet and Technology” end at the end of June. At the same time, according to the information, Christina Foerster, board member for “brand management and sustainability” will be leaving at the end of June and financial director Remco Steenbergen at the beginning of May “by mutual agreement”. Michael Niggemann, Director of Human Resources and Infrastructure, will then temporarily take over the finance department in addition to his previous duties until the office is filled.

“New momentum, changed team”

Chairman of the Supervisory Board Karl-Ludwig Kley said that the challenges facing the industry and the company were different than in previous years, but that they remained enormous. “We want to approach it with new momentum and a changed team that combines even more international experience and diverse perspectives.” The interaction with our customers, investors, partners, but also the collaboration within the Lufthansa Group requires more than ever “a strong understanding of teamwork. We also expect this from our new management team.”

According to the Supervisory Board’s decision, Grazia Vittadini, currently special advisor to Rolls-Royce Holdings, will be reappointed to the Executive Board on July 1, 2024. As head of technology, she will take over the “Technology and IT” department. Also with effect from July 1, 2024, Dieter Vranckx, currently CEO of the subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines, will be appointed to the board of directors “Global Markets and Commercial Control Hubs”. With his move to Frankfurt, Vranckx will take over the mandate of Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors of Swiss International Air Lines from Remco Steenbergen, who is resigning from the mandate when he leaves. The board department “Group Finance” should be filled.