The Supervisory Board of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced that after close consultation with company President and CEO Pieter Elbers, they have established that he will not enter into a third term as CEO when his second term expires on May 1st, 2023.
On Thursday (January 13, 2022), the Supervisory Board of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that after a close consultation company President & CEO, Pieter Elbers, he will not enter into a third term as CEO when his current term expires on May 1st, 2023. This will allow the airline’s Supervisory Board to begin a thorough search process for his successor in a timely manner. Mr. Elbers (51) is an airline industry veteran with 30 years of experience at KLM. He started his career with the carrier in 1992 as Manager – Aircraft Loading, followed by a number of managerial positions in the Netherlands, as well as six years in Italy, Greece and Japan. Mr. Elbers joined KLM’s Management Board in 2011 as Chief Operating Officer, and was promoted to President and CEO in 2014.
In Thursday’s announcement, KLM’s Supervisory Board Chairman, Cees ‘t Hart, said,
“In view of the expiration of his second term, which provides the Supervisory Board a natural moment for consideration, we have, after consultation with Pieter, concluded not to enter into a third term. The continuity of KLM’s leadership greatly benefits from being able to establish this at an early stage. It enables us to initiate a thorough succession process and also to offer a new CEO a sufficient induction period. It is also a time when the restructuring plan has largely been implemented, which positions KLM well for recovery and further development. With thirty years at KLM, eleven years on the Board of Management including two terms as CEO, Pieter has an enormous track record and significance for KLM. Partly for this reason, it is important that we are able to achieve a smooth leadership transition.”
Also commenting on the management transition, KLM’s President & CEO, Pieter Elbers, said,
“After two terms, more than eight years, of leadership as CEO of KLM, I am handing over the baton with full confidence. It goes without saying that I am committed to supporting KLM in this transition to new leadership. I am extremely proud of this company and its fantastic employees. Especially in these hectic and difficult times, they remain the strength of KLM. My thirty-year career with the blue KLM family has been an unimaginably beautiful journey that I will always cherish. I very much enjoy the cooperation with my colleagues and look forward to this in the coming period.”
In addition to his leadership role at KLM, Mr. Elbers is a member of the Executive Committee of the Air France KLM Group. He is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Marfo B.V, a member of the Board of Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW), a member of the International Advisory Board of the International Institute of Air and Space Law (IIASL), and a member of the Board of Governors of IATA.
Source: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Comments