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Leading European carrier Air Berlin has announced the appointment of Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, who is a former head of Jet Airways, as its new Chief Executive Officer effective immediately.
Prock-Schauer, 56, succeeds Hartmut Mehdorn, who was CEO on an interim basis since September 1, 2011, the company said, adding that Mehdorn will continue to serve as a non-executive director of the Board.
In Air Berlin, he held the post of Chief Strategy and Network Planning Officer on the Management Board of Air Berlin, and he will continue in this role until further notice, the company said.
Prock-Schauer will also become an executive director on the Board of Directors of Air Berlin PLC.
In 2003 Prock-Schauer moved to India as CEO of Jet Airways.
In 2005, he successfully led Jet Airways to become a registered company on the stock exchange and expanded the company's long-haul business and global network with other airlines.
Commenting on the appointment, Hans-Joachim Korber, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Berlin PLC, said: "With Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, the top position at airberlin will be taken over by a widely respected expert in the airline industry, who has extensive experience in international management.
"He will continue to promote the process of change and, as CEO, take responsibility from the start for the planned two-year Turbine Turnaround Program and press ahead with the decisive reorganisation of the company".
Following his appointment, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said: "Air Berlin is facing huge challenges.
"We must continue to push our process of change forward rapidly to become lean and smart, so that we can be successful in the global competitive environment.
"Together with my colleagues on the Board of Directors, the Management Board, and the employees of Air Berlin we will put all our effort into this task".
Air Berlin is one of Europe's leading airlines and flies to 170 destinations in 40 countries.
As the second largest airline in Germany, the company has a workforce of 9,300 employees.
Image: Wolfgang Prock-Schauer