43-year-old Jens Fehlinger will take over as CEO of Swiss on 1 October 2024. The airline professional will replace Dieter Vranckx, who will move to the Executive Board of the Lufthansa Group on 1 July. Until Jens Fehlinger takes office, Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach will act as CEO ad interim, according to Swiss.
Fehlinger began his career at the Lufthansa Group in 2006, where he held various management positions. Among other things, he was responsible for strategy and business development at Lufthansa Airlines and for operational performance management at the Lufthansa Group.
During the coronavirus pandemic, he was responsible for the crisis management of the Lufthansa Group and subsequently led the «Renew» restructuring project. In recent years, he was Co-Managing Director of the airline Lufthansa Cityline and at the same time built up the new airline Lufthansa City Airlines as Managing Director.
Jens Fehlinger holds a commercial pilot’s licence and currently flies aircraft of the Airbus A320 family. He studied aviation systems engineering and management in Bremen and transport engineering in Darmstadt. He also holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School Madrid. Jens Fehlinger is a German citizen, married and father of two children.
Much advance praise for the new CEO
Reto Francioni, Chairman of the Swiss Board of Directors, is convinced that Fehlinger is the right person to head Switzerland’s leading airline. «In Jens Fehlinger, we have gained a profound industry expert for Swiss. He has extensive experience in various areas of the Lufthansa Group and has proven that he can also successfully drive innovation in aviation», says Francioni.
Jens Fehlinger has also built up a new airline with foresight and strategic and operational expertise in close collaboration with his teams, proving that he can lead companies to success. In addition, his personality not only fits in with the Executive Board team, but also with the distinctive culture of Swiss. «I am very much looking forward to working with him and wish him every success», says Francioni.
Jens Fehlinger comments on his appointment: «I am very much looking forward to joining Swiss. It is a great company that has done an outstanding job, especially in recent years, and is now a healthy, growing company after the crisis.»
Swiss has achieved this above all thanks to a committed, open and innovative team that proudly upholds Swissness. «This Swissness is a valuable asset that makes Swiss unique. It will be my task to ensure that this value is cultivated and preserved. I am particularly looking forward to becoming part of this team.»