Eurowings chief operating officer Jens Ritter is to take the helm of Lufthansa Airlines, while the airline group’s head of corporate responsibility Annette Mann will lead Austrian Airlines as part of a series management changes.
Ritter will take up the role at Lufthansa Airlines in April, succeeding Klaus Froese. The latter, who has been on the Lufthansa Group executive board for six years, will fly as a Boeing 787 captain for Lufthansa when the Dreamliners join its fleet next year.
Ritter has been chief operating officer at Eurowings since April, and was chief operating officer at Austrian.
Group head of corporate controlling Jorg Beissel is also joining Lufthansa Airlines in April as chief financial officer. He will succeed the departing Patrick Staudacher.
Annette Mann will become Austrian Airlines chief executive in March. She succeeds Alexis von Hoensbroech, who is leaving with immediate effect having been appointed as the chief executive of Canadian airline WestJet. Von Hoensbroech joined Austrian in 2018 and his contract had been due to run until 2026.
Mann’s previous positions include a stint between 2016 and 2020 as head of product management at another Lufthansa Group carrier, Swiss.
They were among a series of appointments announced by Lufthansa Group, which also include Lufthansa Technik’s head of engine services Dietmar Focke joining Lufthansa Cargo’s executive board with responsibility for operations and human resources.
Lufthansa Group chief executive Carsten Spohr says: ”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.”
