This week, René de Groot, Chief Operating Officer of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, informed the company’s Supervisory Board that he will step down as of July 15th. He will leave the Dutch airline after 32 years and take up the same position at British Airways on October 1st.
He has served as COO since November 2014. On the other hand, in April 2015 he began his first term as a member of the company’s Statutory Board. He was re-elected in 2019 and his term was due to end in 2023. He is also responsible for KLM’s flight licences with the Dutch civil aviation authorities, a position he will be stepping down from as July 15th as well.
Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Operations Engineering and Maintenance. He has been with the airline since 1990 and was a former Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 captain.
According to the company, the Supervisory Board has already started the process to appoint a successor. KLM said it “expects to be able to fill the vacancy in the short term”. They added that “the responsibilities and tasks of the COO within the organisation have been secured”.
“After 32 fantastic years at KLM, I have decided to spread my wings and continue my career at British Airways as COO”, René de Groot said. “I leave the company knowing that the road to recovery has begun and that the organisation will be able to meet these challenges, despite the continuing challenges”, he added.
René de Groot’s departure is not the only recent management change. Earlier this month, Pieter Elbers stepped down as CEO and was replaced by Marjan Rintel. In that context, another leadership change in an area critical to the operation adds to expectations about KLM’s ability to manage its business at a difficult time for the airline industry. The decisions the company takes in the coming weeks will be decisive for its near future.
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