Gerd Becht appointed new Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Berlin PLC

Former Deutsche Bahn Manager Gerd Becht (65) takes over as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Berlin PLC with immediate effect. Most recently, Becht was Director of the Compliance, Data Protection, Legal and Group Security Division of Deutsche Bahn AG and DB Mobility Logistics AG. Becht had previously held positions at various national and international law firms, the investment bank Paribas SA in Paris, Adam Opel AG in Rüsselsheim, GM Europe in Zurich, GM Corp. in Detroit, Daimler AG in Stuttgart and Chrysler Inc in New York.

Gerd Becht said of his new role: "From the perspective of its passengers, staff, shareholders and everyone else involved with the company, airberlin must regain a sustainably successful and secure position within national and international airline competition. As Chairman of the Board of Directors, I will make every effort to achieve this, in close collaboration with all those responsible for the internal and external activities of airberlin".

Thomas Winkelmann, Chief Executive Officer of airberlin: "With Gerd Becht, airberlin is gaining an excellent manager and lawyer with proven expertise in restructuring as well as mergers and acquisitions. He will inject airberlin with new energy thanks to his experience. Together, we will be concentrating on strengthening airberlin’s market position and on repositioning the company. I am looking forward to working with him. My special thanks go to Achim Hunold, who had agreed to take over the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors on an interim basis in the last couple of weeks".

Kevin Knight, Group Strategy and Planning Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said:  "We welcome Gerd’s appointment and are confident that his wide-ranging business experience, vision and professionalism will benefit airberlin as it continues with its transformation plans, which we continue to support".

The members of the Board of Directors of Air Berlin PLC are Gerd Becht (Chairman), Ali Sabanci, Kevin Knight, Henning zur Hausen, Achim Hunold, Dr Matthias Klöpper, Thilo Schmidt and Andries B. van Luijk.