Changes in Lufthansa Top Management: Max Kownatzki as CEO of Eurowings and Marcus Schnabel as CEO of SunExpress

Lufthansa Group has announced major leadership changes at Eurowings and SunExpress, effective February 1, 2026

Max Kownatzki (53)
- Currently CEO of SunExpress
- Will become CEO of Eurowings, succeeding Jens Bischof
- Background: Former Chief Commercial Officer of Eurowings Europe, Senior VP for Eurowings business development, and Chief Strategy Officer at Jetstar Group. Holds a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen and a commercial pilot license.

Marcus Schnabel (45)
- Currently Head of Ground Operations for Lufthansa Airlines in Munich
- Will succeed Max Kownatzki as CEO of SunExpress
- Background: 20 years of leadership within Lufthansa Group, including senior roles at SWISS in Zurich. Studied Business Administration at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and FernUniversität Hagen. Holds a professional pilot license.

Strategic Context
- Jens Bischof, outgoing CEO of Eurowings, is stepping down after more than five years leading the airline and over 35 years in senior roles at Lufthansa Group.
- Lufthansa Group Chairman Carsten Spohr emphasized that both appointments reflect the Group’s strategy of promoting experienced leaders from within to ensure continuity and growth.
- Eurowings has been repositioned as Germany’s leading leisure carrier under Bischof, while SunExpress is entering a pivotal growth phase under Schnabel’s leadership.