Pieter Elbers will not enter into third term as KLM CEO next year

The Supervisory Board (SB) of KLM today announces that, after close consultation with CEO Pieter Elbers, it has established that Elbers will not enter into a third term as CEO & President of KLM as of 1 May 2023. This enables the Supervisory Board to start a thorough process for a successor in a timely manner.

“In view of the expiration of his second term, which provides the Supervisory Board a natural moment for consideration, we have, after consultation with Pieter, concluded not to enter into a third term. The continuity of KLM's leadership greatly benefits from being able to establish this at an early stage. It enables us to initiate a thorough succession process and also to offer a new CEO a sufficient induction period. It is also a time when the restructuring plan has largely been implemented, which positions KLM well for recovery and further development. With thirty years at KLM, eleven years on the Board of Management including two terms as CEO, Pieter has an enormous track record and significance for KLM. Partly for this reason, it is important that we are able to achieve a smooth leadership transition." - Cees 't Hart, chairman of the KLM Supervisory Board

" After two terms, more than eight years, of leadership as CEO of KLM, I am handing over the baton with full confidence. It goes without saying that I am committed to supporting KLM in this transition to new leadership. I am extremely proud of this company and its fantastic employees. Especially in these hectic and difficult times, they remain the strength of KLM. My thirty-year career with the blue KLM family has been an unimaginably beautiful journey that I will always cherish. I very much enjoy the cooperation with my colleagues and look forward to this in the coming period." - KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers