Source: KLM

  • Marjan Rintel nominated for a second term as President & CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

The Air France-KLM Board of Directors approved the nomination of Marjan Rintel as President & CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for a second term of 4 years. This renewal was proposed by KLM’s Supervisory Board and Group CEO Benjamin Smith. The Supervisory Board of KLM has informed the Works Council of the intended reappointment and will submit a request for advice. Formal confirmation of this decision will follow in the KLM shareholders’ meeting.

With Marjan Rintel at the helm, the first priority will be to accelerate KLM’s transformation, aimed at structurally strengthening its operational and financial foundation. The structure and governance of the organization will be adjusted to meet this ambition and to make KLM both stronger and future-proof. KLM’s Board of Management, together with the management of the largest operational divisions, will focus even more directly on daily management of operations, in order to increase reliability and predictability for customers and employees.

Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the KLM Supervisory Board, said: “In the coming period, the challenges facing KLM remain significant. The Supervisory board fully supports Marjan’s initiative to drive structural improvement in results through substantial changes in governance. We have full confidence that KLM, as part of Air France-KLM Group – under Marjan’s leadership, together with the other members of the senior management team and all KLM employees – can successfully deliver this transformation in order to reach the Group’s overall financial targets.”

Marjan Rintel said: “KLM operates in a challenging and highly competitive environment. To be successful in that context, we must have a solid operational and financial foundation. That is why we are intensifying and accelerating our transformation. We will take structural measures to simplify our organization, improve our operation, increase our revenue, and reduce our costs. Together with my colleagues in the Management Board, I will be more directly involved in overseeing the operation with the aim of meeting customer expectations and achieving healthy returns.”

A new Chief Operating Officer

The organizational changes impact the management of operations and therefore the role of the Chief Operating Officer (COO). Given these developments, the current COO, Maarten Stienen, has indicated that he does not aspire to a second term. He will step down from his position after the KLM shareholders’ meeting in May 2026. This enables KLM to initiate a careful process to appoint a new COO, considering candidates both from within and outside the company.

Marjan Rintel said: “Maarten is a versatile, committed, and very dedicated colleague who has given everything to KLM during his 28‑year career. He has held crucial operational roles both in the Netherlands and abroad. In 2020, he was appointed EVP Ground Services and in 2023 he was appointed KLM’s Chief Operating Officer and member of the Managing Board. We are very grateful to Maarten for everything he has done for KLM in his long and successful career at our company. I wish him all the best for the future.”

Maarten Stienen said: “This is the right moment for me to indicate that I am not available for reappointment and that I will begin exploring the next step in my career. Over the past 28 years, with all my knowledge and experience, I have devoted myself wholeheartedly to this wonderful company. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues for the great cooperation over the years. My blue heart will always beat for KLM and its people. I wish the company, my colleagues on the Managing Board, and all colleagues on the ground and in the air a bright future.”