Press Releases & News

Decision in favour of renewal and proven expertise - Supervisory Board of Flughafen Wien AG appoints new Management Board team - reduction in Management Board from three to two members

Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner to take over management of the company at the beginning of September 2011

The Supervisory Board of Flughafen Wien AG today appointed a new Management Board team, which will take over the direction of the company at the beginning of September 2011. Julian Jäger (39) will be responsible for the Aviation Segment. Since 2008 he has served as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Malta International Airport, a majority holding of Flughafen Wien AG that was recognised by ACI as the “best European airport of the year“ in 2010. Jäger has many years of experience with the Company. Günther Ofner (54) was appointed chief financial officer and will also be in charge of the Non-Aviation Segment. He has been a member of the management board of the listed Burgenland Holding AG for many years and was recently also responsible for the successful realisation of major projects in South-Eastern Europe (among others construction projects) as well as strategic planning and mergers & acquisitions for the energy provider EVN AG.

“This Management Board team stands for renewal and proven expertise, and the Supervisory Board has selected the most qualified candidates. The decisive factors included professional qualifications as well as the presented concepts, whose implementation will bring new impulses for the company’s further development. We are convinced this decision will form the basis for the sound development of Vienna Airport. With a reduction in the Management Board to two members, we want to set a sign and also improve the effectiveness of the company’s management“, explained Ewald Kirschner, General Director of GESIBA and chairman of the Supervisory Board of Flughafen Wien AG.

Following an international tender in accordance with Austrian law (“Stellenbesetzungsgesetz“), the Personnel Committee of the Supervisory Board, together with the consultancy firm Egon Zehnder International, carried out a detailed assessment and analysis of nearly 120 candidates from Austria and other countries in a multi-step process and held a hearing for the candidates who reached the final round. After extensive evaluation, the Supervisory Board agreed with the recommendation of the Personnel Committee. The new Management Board team will start at the beginning of September 2011; their appointment covers a period of five years.

The Supervisory Board also passed the necessary resolutions to convene an extraordinary general meeting of Flughafen Wien AG at the end of August 2011. The purpose of this meeting is to appoint two new members to the Supervisory Board following the resignation of Christoph Herbst. The current members of the Management Board, Gerhard Schmid and Ernest Gabmann, will be available through the end of 2011 for the orderly transfer of their duties.

For additional information contact: Flughafen Wien AG Press Office

Peter Kleemann (+43-1-) 7007-23000                                        

Clemens Schleinzer (+43-1-) 7007-22399                                 

Birgit Fehsler (+43-1-) 7007-22254