Royal Schiphol Group changes management structure amid turbulence
30 / 01 / 2023
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Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) will change the current board of directors (DT) into a broader operational executive team as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol faces continued controversy.
From 1 February, the executive team of Royal Schiphol Group consists of Ruud Sondag, chief executive; Robert Carsouw, chief financial officer; Patricia Vitalis, operations; Sybren Hahn, asset management; Arthur Reijnhart, commercial; and Esmé Valk, HR.
The change does not affect the statutory final responsibility of the DT as it is currently formed by Sondag and Carsouw.
This follows the announcement that chief operating officer Hanne Buis will exit the job on February 1 due to a “difference of opinion” over the “operational management” of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
RSG said the management structure change comes as Schiphol has evaluated how it prepared for and responded to the rapid growth in passenger volumes, the situation regarding the assets (including buildings, infrastructure, equipment) and the staff shortages following “the operational crisis at Schiphol between May and September 2022”.
Since 2021, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s plans to increase prices have been met with fierce opposition from the industry.
Then last year, the airport twice asked airlines to cut flight numbers after being hit by staff shortages.
It saw cargo volumes decline as weaker market conditions and the loss of AirBridgeCargo services hit volumes.
In September 2022, then Schiphol Airport chief executive Dick Benschop resigned from the role, stating he had faced “criticism” over the disruption at the Dutch hub.
Schiphol boss resigns after latest round of flight disruption
