{{short description|German airline executive (born 1957)}} {{infobox person | name = Stefan Pichler | image = File:Close_up-profile_pic.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|11|07}} | birth_place = Munich, Germany | citizenship = Germany | education = University of Augsburg | occupation = Airline Executive | known_for = Served as CEO of various airline companies | website = }}
'''Stefan Pichler''' (born November 7, 1957) is a global airline and tourism Chief Executive.<ref name="fijiairways">{{cite web|url=http://www.fijiairways.com/about-fiji-airways/2013-media-centre/stefan-pichler-leads-fiji-airways/|title=Stefan Pichler Leads Fiji Airways|date=September 6, 2013|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name="breakingtravelnews">{{cite web|url=http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/btn20041013140429981/|title=Virgin Blue Appoints Stefan Pichler as CCO|date=October 13, 2004|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> Most recently he was President and CEO of Royal Jordanian. Previously, Pichler was the Managing Director and CEO of Air Berlin,<ref name="wiwo">{{cite web|url=http://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/dienstleister/stefan-pichler-so-tickt-der-neue-air-berlin-chef/10946770.html|title=So tickt der neue Air-Berlin-Chef|date=November 10, 2014|author=Rüdiger Kiani-Kreß|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> served as Managing Director and CEO of Fiji Airways, as the CEO of Jazeera Airways, Chairman and CEO of Thomas Cook AG and Chairman of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft, as well as Chairman of Fiji Tourism. Additionally, he has held Senior and Executive Board roles as a CCO at Virgin Australia and at Lufthansa.<ref name=wiwo/>
In November 2014, Air Berlin appointed Pichler as CEO effective February 2015.<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-03/air-berlin-lures-ex-lufthansa-manager-pichler-from-fiji-as-chief.html|title=Air Berlin Lures Ex-Lufthansa Manager Pichler From Fiji as Chief|date=November 3, 2014|author=Richard Weiss|website=Bloomberg News|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name="berliner">{{cite web|url=http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/wirtschaft/-air-berlin-stefan-pichler-wird-neuer-air-berlin-chef-,10808230,28949014.html|title=Stefan Pichler wird neuer Air-Berlin-Chef|date=November 4, 2014|author=Frank-Thomas Wenzel|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> After signing the restructuring deals with Lufthansa and Etihad, Pichler left to lead Royal Jordanian Airlines. Pichler then developed a turnaround plan for Royal Jordanian which helped to return to profitability by the end of FY 2017.<ref>name="http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=750a4028-2238-49b6-9a66-94926ed3d5d3</ref> Royal Jordanian also posted a sharp increase in the operating results and net income in 2018 and 2019. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/middle-east/royal-jordanian-net-profit-in-first-9-months-up-by-139/ |title=Royal Jordanian Net Profit in First 9 Months Up by 139% |website=aviationtribune.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106115820/http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/middle-east/royal-jordanian-net-profit-in-first-9-months-up-by-139 |archive-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> Pichler announced his retirement effective 30 September 2020.<ref name="retirement">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/aviation/departing-royal-jordanian-ceo-sees-more-airline-consolidation-with-regional-travel-set-for-faster-recovery-1.1092260|title = Departing Royal Jordanian CEO sees more airline consolidation with regional travel set for faster recovery|date = 13 October 2020}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Pichler was born and raised in Munich, Germany.<ref name="nzherald">{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11129408|title=Marathon run for new Fiji Airways chief|date=September 25, 2013|author=Grant Bradley|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> He received a master's degree in economics and law from the University of Augsburg and a post graduate degree from INSEAD.<ref name="welt">{{cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article133954466/Neuer-Air-Berlin-Chef-uebernimmt-Schleudersitz.html|title=Neuer Air-Berlin-Chef übernimmt Schleudersitz|date=November 3, 2014|author= Ernst August Ginten|newspaper=Die Welt|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref>
==Career== In 1983, Pichler began his career as Head of Sport Promotions for Nike in Beaverton, Oregon.<ref name=fijiairways/><ref name=wiwo/> Pichler became the Marketing and Sales Director of France for Lufthansa in 1989.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/> In 1991, Lufthansa appointed Pichler Managing Director for Lufthansa France, based in Paris.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/> He was promoted to Head of Worldwide Sales for Lufthansa in 1996 and appointment as a member of Lufthansa's Executive Board the following year.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/><ref name="flightglobal">{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lufthansa-2222/|title=Lufthansa|date=February 26, 1997|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> In January 2000, Pichler was appointed CEO of Thomas Cook AG, a national tour operator.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/><ref name="focus">{{cite web|url=http://www.focus.de/reisen/service/reise-die-top-30-tourismus-manager_aid_193680.html|title=Die Top 30 Tourismus-Manager|date=March 10, 2003|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> He helped develop the company to the world's second largest leisure group.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/>
''Focus'' ranked Pichler number one on its list of the "Top 30 Tourism Managers" in 2003 for the third consecutive year.<ref name=focus/> The following year he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer and Chairman of Virgin Australia.<ref name="centreofaviation">{{cite web|url=http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/fiji-airways-new-md-stefan-pichler-sets-his-sights-on-the-next-five-years-for-the-rebranded-airline-128733|title= Fiji Airways' new MD Stefan Pichler sets his sights on the next five years for the rebranded airline|date=September 19, 2013|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> In 2009, Pichler joined Jazeera Airways as CEO.<ref name=centreofaviation/> In 2011, the airline's operating profit margin was the second highest in the global airline industry (25.6%) and in 2012, the margin was 30.2%.<ref name=centreofaviation/> He received the "Personal Achievement of the Year Award" at the Aviation Business Awards for making the airline profitable in 2012.<ref name="aviationbusiness">{{cite web|url=http://aviationbusinessme.com/aviation/2012/nov/8/262715/|title=Etihad and flydubai win big at Aviation Business Awards 2012|date=November 8, 2012|author=Ruchi Shroff|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> In September 2013, Pichler was appointed Managing Director and CEO of Fiji Airways.<ref name=fijiairways/><ref name=centreofaviation/><ref name="islandbusiness">{{cite web|url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/2013/10/fiji-business-cover-story/pichlers-strategy/|title=Pichler's Strategy|date=October 2013|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> He was promoted to Chairman of Tourism Fiji in August 2014.<ref name="travelweekly">{{cite web|url=http://www.travelweekly.com.au/news/tourism-fiji-to-expand-reach-with-pichler-as-chair|title=Tourism Fiji to expand reach with Pichler as chairman|date=August 20, 2014|author=Anne Majumdar|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name="travelagent">{{cite web|url=http://www.travelagentcentral.com/agent-profiles/stefan-pichler-announced-new-chair-tourism-fiji-47493|title=Stefan Pichler Announced as New Chair of Tourism Fiji|date=August 21, 2014|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref>
Additionally, Pichler served as a member of the Board of Tourism Australia and held roles at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Tourism Working Group of the World Economic Forum.<ref name=travelagent/> He has also held non-executive director of major German corporations including Deutsche Bank and Steigenberger Hotels.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/>
In November 2014, Air Berlin appointed Pichler CEO effective February 2015.<ref name=welt/><ref name=bloomberg/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avitrader.com/2014/11/03/stefan-pichler-appointed-ceo-of-airberlin-group/|title=Stefan Pichler appointed CEO of airberlin group|date=November 3, 2014|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://australien.ahk.de/en/news/news-single-view/artikel/congratulations-to-stefan-pichler-currently-managing-director-of-gac-member-fiji-airways/?cHash=e48d77ea6c8db9b67b736081c11910f6|title=Congratulations to Stefan Pichler, currently Managing Director of GAC member Fiji Airways|date=November 4, 2014|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref> With the support of Etihad Airways, Pichler developed a strategic restructuring plan which resulted in dividing the company into 3 separate business units: the first unit was to provide 40 aircraft to Lufthansa Group per wet lease agreement. the second unit, the touristic business including the Austrian daughter company Niki, was sold to Etihad Airways who invested this stake into a joint venture with TUI Group. And the third unit, New Airberlin, was redesigned to become a network carrier serving the hubs in Duesseldorf and Berlin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/handel/air-berlin-wird-die-krisen-airline-jetzt-zerschlagen/14600750.html|title = Air Berlin: Wird die Krisen-Airline jetzt zerschlagen?}}</ref> All those deals were concluded in December 2016 were designed to enable a new start for airberlin which had lost over 3 billion Euros in the last 10 years.
Also in December 2016, he announced his resignation as CEO of Air Berlin effective January 31, 2017 and left to lead Royal Jordanian into a turnaround.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/artikel/air-berlin-chef-stefan-pichler-geht-winkelmann-kommt-a-1126403.html |title=Air-Berlin-Chef tritt ab - Lufthansa-Manager übernimmt |date=18 December 2016 |accessdate=19 December 2016 |language=German}}</ref>
==Personal life== Pichler is a former internationally ranked marathon runner and ran for the German national team.<ref name=breakingtravelnews/><ref name=nzherald/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aerotelegraph.com/portraet-air-berlin-neuer-chef-stefan-pichler|title=Air Berlin holt Marathon-Mann|date=November 3, 2014|author=Stefan Eiselin|accessdate=December 14, 2014}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *http://www.centreforaviation.com/analysis/jazeera-airways-turnaround-continues-to-show-results-57162 *http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/3237-Thomas-Cook:-New-cost-reduction-programme-Triple-C-launched *http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1621381.stm *http://www.focus.de/reisen/urlaubstipps/reise-die-top-30-tourismus-manager_aid_193680.html *http://www.aviationbusinessme.com/aviation/2012/nov/8/262715/ *http://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/handel/air-berlin-wird-die-krisen-airline-jetzt-zerschlagen/14600750.html
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pichler, Stefan}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Munich Category:German chief executives in the airline industry Category:University of Augsburg alumni Category:INSEAD alumni Category:West German men marathon runners