Lufthansa Group has announced a shake-up of its senior leadership team as the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

Jens Ritter, currently a member of the executive board and chief operating officer of Eurowings, will become the new chief executive of Lufthansa Airlines on April 1st.

He will succeed Klaus Froese.

Froese is handing over his post after more than six years on the executive board of Lufthansa Airlines.

Going forward, he will fly for Lufthansa as a captain, piloting the new Boeing 787 that arrives next year.

Annette Mann, currently head of corporate responsibility at Lufthansa Group, will become the new chief executive of Austrian Airlines as of March.

Mann succeeds Alexis von Hoensbroech, who is leaving the company with immediate to become chief executive of WestJet.

Dietmar Focke, currently head of engine services at Lufthansa Technik, is moving to the executive board of Lufthansa Cargo and will be responsible for operations and human resources as of March.

He succeeds Harald Gloy, who is leaving the company at his own request.

Jörg Beißel, head of corporate controlling at the Lufthansa Group, will assume the position of chief financial officer of Lufthansa Airlines as of April.

He succeeds Patrick Staudacher, who will not extend his contract at Lufthansa at his own request and will leave the company at the end of April.

Frank Bauer, currently a member of the executive board at Eurowings and responsible for finance and human resources, will be responsible for the corporate controlling of Lufthansa Group as of April.

The areas of human resources and finance on the Eurowings executive board will be taken over by Kai Duve as of February 2022.

Duve is currently head of the Frankfurt cabin crews division of Lufthansa Airlines.

Benedikt Schneider, currently responsible for the executive office of the chief human resources and legal officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG will succeed Duve, also as of February.

Wilken Bormann, currently head of Lufthansa Group finance, will assume responsibility for finance and human resources on the group executive board as of March.

He succeeds Kristin Neumann, who is leaving the company at her own request at the end of February.

“Filling these top management positions is another important step in our transformation.

“We are continuing on our course with undiminished speed and are strengthening our position among the leading global airline groups.

“I am pleased that we were able to fill all positions from within Lufthansa Group – it confirms our successful personnel and leadership development,” said Carsten Spohr, chief executive of Deutsche Lufthansa.

More Information

Lufthansa Airlines and Austrian Airlines are both members of Star Alliance, this week recognised as the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards.