KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has appointed Maarten Stienen as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the airline. The decision will take effect as of September 1st, when the new head of the area, who has been with the Dutch airline since 1998, will take up his position.
Initially, Maarten Stienen worked as a management trainee. He then held various operational positions in the Netherlands and abroad. He was Vice President of Baggage Services, Vice President of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, and General Manager of KLM Catering Services, the company’s division responsible for in-flight food and beverage services. Since 2020, he has served as senior vice president of Hub Operations. In a statement, the company said it will announce his successor in the near future.
Furthermore, the Supervisory Board will also propose to the General Meeting of Shareholders that the new COO be appointed to the company’s Board of Directors. An extraordinary general meeting will be convened for this purpose.
“With his appointment, we strengthen the management team with a content and experienced leadership”, said Marjan Rintel, President and CEO of KLM. “I look forward to working with Maarten to bring calm and stability to the organisation”, he added.
Last July, René de Groot had announced that he would step down as COO. The decision came at a critical time for the airline’s operations, amid widespread delays and rescheduling at its Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport base and across its network.
Maarten Stienen said his appointment as new COO represents “an incredible honour”. “It is a challenge, given the major operational issues we are currently facing”, he said about the current situation. In the same vein, he underlined his commitment to the airline’s team and to building a more efficient airline: “A company that delivers on its promise to its customers and to society, that builds a more sustainable future, that is enjoyable to work for and that you can be proud of”.
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